The Legend of Snake
by MWIS
Summary: Solid Snake begins a desperate infiltration of a subjugated metropolis with one goal. He must kill Link, a tyrannical despot. This story is set in an alternate universe. Personalities are borrowed from many videogames.
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

_**DISCLAIMER: **_

No character introduced in _The Legend of Snake _is my own. Each and every personality introduced is a reinterpretation of the character templates provided in videogames released in the United States of America prior to January 14th, 2009. All of these characters remain publicly recognizable, despite liberties taken in adapting them to unique circumstances in an alternate universe.

Listing the origins of every character would be excessive, but characters and settings are the property of their original owners and stem from the products of the following companies: Activision Blizzard, Atari, Atlus, Bethesda Softworks, BioWare, Bungie Studios, Capcom, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, Konami, Level-5, LucasArts, Namco Bandai, Naughty Dog, Nintendo, Rockstar, SEGA, Sony Computer Entertainment, Square Enix, Take Two Interactive, Tecmo Koei, Ubisoft, and Valve Corporation.

The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No copyright infringement is intended.

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><p><strong><em>Chapter 1: Prologue<em>**

_January 14th, 2009_

The sweet scent of nicotine entered my mouth and, for a moment, I savored the raw flavor of death. Smoking is a divine habit, its merit measured not in the obscure risks of cancer but in the raspy rapture accompanying every breath. I had no reason to worry for the sake of my blackened lungs. I was gifted with the knowledge that it would not be the cause of my inevitable demise.

Every man would eventually die. Yet few men truly lived. Most were content to accept the rules propagated by a system beyond their immediate control. Most men lived in fear, locked with their loved ones in the comfort of their homes, never risking for a mere moment the simple pleasures of mindless existence. Few men understood just how the system had dominated and manipulated them, how arcane regulations and oppressive interests had burned heaving holes through their hearts, and how the fortunate few had deceived their minds into a callow acceptance of false realities. Most men marched through life without eyes to witness the pain and suffering that threatened to engulf them. So long as they escaped to the pictures painted by a deceptive media, and so long as those in power were lifted to a pantheon of demigods, dissent would quickly be labeled unconscionable.

So the sheep did as they commanded. They were oblivious to the vice and corruption.

I somewhat envied them.

It was a frigid January evening, and I was fighting for yet another lost cause. Otacon always used to tell me that we were the vanguards of the human conscience, the last sliver of hope, the last possibility for change. He always spoke in such lofty language. To Otacon, the world was wounded by the digressions of a few warped individuals, men of tyranny like Link, who somehow managed to deceive a well-intentioned populace. I was not like Otacon. To me, the world was filled with Links, and Clouds, and Sephiroths. The Colonel was one of them. So was Naomi. I trusted them with my life. They left me to rot in an aging, decrepit body that would not last another five years. My hair was already turning gray, and my body was perpetually aching.

This was a mixed blessing. I was growing sick and tired of this world.

Yet I still fought. Sometimes, as in that precise moment in January, I found myself wondering why. I suspect it was because somewhere, in the vast stretches of Termina's unyielding sprawl, an honest family was struggling in the slums of Termina, just trying to make ends meet. Somewhere in the void of consciousness, a single man's eyes were open, and the city of vices had revealed its rotting, decrepit soul to him. Somewhere out there, a single mother was working two shifts, only to have seen most of her wages drained by a system that punished the impoverished and rewarded the wealthy. Somewhere out there, a young girl, pure and innocent and blissfully unaware of the ramifications of decaying civilization, just wanted to grow a pretty garden.

I had never been a hero. Those cherished few, those last remnants of sanity in a world gone mad, the men and women who would never wield a gun or steal from the homeless or even smoke a cigarette. They were the heroes. History would not record them as such, but they were the beacons of freedom. They were the people I'd fight for. They were the ones I'd die for.

History had always foolishly attempted to define 'heroes' in the mold of Link. And Cloud. And Sephiroth. Men of power. I wanted nothing to do with them. They were heroes because they were born with strong bodies, strong minds, and a conviction that the world existed to serve their needs. Link wielded power as if it was his birthright. Cloud was no different, back when the Avalanche Revolution of 2003 promised to 'change things.' It was easy to promise a revolt, and easy to incite raw violence. It was more difficult to actually act on one's promises, as greed and arrogance worked its way into a man's veins. Link undermined the security and the independence of his populace, and he threatened the continued prosperity of the world he ruled, yet he would be the one that history remembered. If nothing else, when the people had been beaten to a comatose pulp long enough, they would feel a requirement to redefine their oppressors as men worthy enough to have oppressed them.

Link would never be forgotten, I thought, as a puff of smoke escaped my lungs and dissipated into the air.

Not even after I killed him.


	2. Chapter 2: First Steps in Termina

_**Chapter 2: First Steps in Termina**_

_January 14th, 2009_

Even by winter's frigid standards, it was an unusually cold day. The winds tore at the few bits of flesh that were exposed to the elements, like ravenous hounds hungry to devour their pray. The slums beneath Termina's Sector Seven were a dreadful place. Above us was not a sun to warm the barren ground, but a dark and obstructing series of interwoven plates and pillars that lifted the privileged elites into the stratosphere. Above us were a myriad of pipes, some containing raw sewage. To the people above the masses of the slums, the downtrodden were literally worth less than their piss.

The scarf around my neck was a deep, vibrant blue. Otacon probably chose it to match my bandanna. I didn't have the time to bother with fashion statements. Otacon handled the technology, and apparently, he dabbled a bit in following men's clothing trends. Phoenix handled our finances and our public relations strategy. I just discovered new and exciting ways to kill people.

Together, we were Philanthropy. Multiple websites had compared us to the likes of Avalanche. Our rhetoric had been misconstrued as advocating a return to the days of violent revolution. Those were boldfaced lies. Avalanche failed a year after its coup because they had presented no sustainable alternative to Link's rule. Avalanche was colored in the language of socialism, but its leaders did not follow their own decrees to the people they presumably served. Their answer to the cries of the masses was to respond with a slight variant of the corruption that the people knew too well. Avalanche failed because Cloud was foolish enough to seek the same power that Link had attained.

But he let Link live, because the public would only condone executions of anonymous criminals. Those that were famous in the eyes of the people often escaped persecution. Their connections, their networks, enabled them to get away with murder. Phoenix told me that a competitor of his, a man named Edgeworth, found a loophole in the legal system with which to spare Link's life. Cloud was too busy sleeping beside men, women, and children to give a damn. In those days, Edgeworth was a defense attorney and Wright's partner. Once Link regained power through his coup, he promoted Edgeworth to lead the Turks Intelligence Agency, and Edgeworth then commanded the Turks from his bully pulpit, convicting innocent men and women of false crimes. The friendship between Phoenix and Miles fell apart around that time. I was too smart to ask Wright to reveal most of the gritty details.

Link, then Cloud, then Link again. The cycle continued into perpetuity, and the one in charge mattered little. The crimes of those who resided in Shinra's Headquarters remained shrouded in a veil of mystery. Both men engaged in the same...pleasantries. Piles of money. Exorbitant taxation. Favors for 'friends.' Men in black suits cruelly and efficiently mowing down perceived 'enemies.' The most attractive men, women and children were the least lucky. They would be kidnapped, forced to suck down the juices of barbarism firsthand. The luckiest were those smart enough to stay homeless in the slums. Better to live next to an abandoned train car, dressed in rags, huddled over a fire, but still possessing one's precious dignity.

I could have found a quiet corner to rant and rave for hours about the system. I could have sat there forever, breathing in the toxic fumes of my beloved nicotine. I had for years. Yet this day was the dawning of a new era. Today, Operation Philanthropy began in earnest.

Phoenix and Otacon were both safe in our underground labyrinth, a headquarters buried beneath the safety of the streets of nearby Kalm. Link's forces were present there, of course, but not to such a degree. These days, only a few lucky thousand possessed the privilege to reside outside the overcrowded hellhole of Termina. More than ninety percent of the world was being drilled. Holes had peppered the surface of our once beautiful planet, searching for those last hidden crevices of mako energy. Meanwhile, untold millions of unfortunate people were stuffed like sardines into the city of nightmares. Millions more, of course, were buried beneath it.

Otacon provided me with a passport to acquire access into the slums. Although a necessary security precaution to ensure my infiltration, doing so probably wasn't even necessary. Security was always tight to get into the city above, but the ground beneath was home only to vagabonds, criminals, anarchists, gangs, and those generally of ill repute. Link's Administration ruled Termina with an iron fist, but it relied on an ambiguous network of lackeys to oppress its wastelands. My credentials were viewed for all of five seconds by a single 'officer' who was more interested in raping the poor girl in line behind me. This is not a land that follows any laws but those prehistoric ones, decided by blunt objects and the pouring of blood.

She was young. Maybe twelve. Traveling with her grandfather. Brunette. She had a ponytail, I think. She sang a lullaby as she was 'inspected.' I wanted to snap every bone in that inspector's neck, but I couldn't risk being exposed so soon. There were too many soldiers in the vicinity, and I was only one man. I had to drown out her screams as I walked away.

Otacon pleaded with me over the codec. _"Kill him!"_ he shouted. _"Save her!"_ Phoenix was slightly more subdued, but Wright still believed in a concept of nonviolent justice, the notion that the pen could still eclipse and overtake the sword. I had to resist any virtuous impulse that could compromise the mission. In truth, there are thousands of girls like her. Even if I had rescued her today, she probably would have been raped by another tomorrow. The system of vile oppression would only die when Link, the head of the monster, was killed. And I could only kill Link if I was nothing but a shadow.

I was surrounded by a series of dilapidated huts, in varying states of disrepair. The few slum lords here who controlled this territory lived in the nicest accommodations, but by the standards of the world above, even their possessions were worth mere scraps of gil. There was a marketplace in the center of this village, bustling with the most activity. Most of the property traded was in the form of people sold into slavery. The most unfortunate ones would be forced to compete against each other in matches to death to provide entertainment for their captors. It was brutal to watch, yet to witness such a sight firsthand was to understand the face of the enemy. Link was not a heroic figure in green tights anymore. He was no longer the elf who rescued fair damsels, the common boy who rose to fame through a fine mix of luck and prophecy. Nor was he a man wearing a pressed Shinra business suit, the benevolent image of a patriotic patriarch that adorned billboards and posters in the world above. Link was found instead in the expressions of sheer agony found on the faces of the subjugated and exploited masses in these slums.

Hidden from plain sight were the few weapons I had managed to smuggle into this territory. To possess weapons of some sort in the slums would be expected. Despite this, most could not have afforded firearms, let alone a dozen specialty grenades. Most enforcers in the depths were equipped with knives, the occasional sword, maybe a whip or a spear. I was fortunate to smuggle in a tranquilizer pistol, a modified Beretta. Even though the weapon was non-lethal, the gun was probably worth more than several dozen slaves.

I was not wearing my stealth suit. Not yet, anyway. It was carefully hidden in a single suitcase, strategically placed next to lightly soiled undergarments. (The apparel had been intentionally soiled, so as to prevent the officer from proceeding with a closer inspection.) Unwashed clothing was not atypical in these parts, and I drew no additional attention. I had cigarettes and a lighter in one pocket, but I brought no money. To travel with anything of worth in plain sight would have drawn _plenty_ of unwanted attention. Phoenix had provided me the extent of my connections by leading me in the direction of a local establishment in this sector. Even still, he did not sound incredibly enthusiastic of the prospects that I would quickly acquire the resources I needed to break out of the slums anytime soon.

My goal was to eliminate Link. Even reaching Link, however, was virtually impossible. He resided on the top floor of a headquarters that was elevated far above the Earth. Once I made it atop the plates, I had to find a way to acquire access into Sector One, also known as Neo Kokiri. It was the most heavily guarded sector, and it contained the only passageway to the central pillar, atop which rested Shinra Headquarters. After climbing dozens upon dozens of floors unnoticed, a fortunate assassin might have reached Link's quarters. Heh. Good luck.

The fluorescent lighting of this freezing locale seemed redundant. Why illuminate an unchanging sea of brown and gray hues? Yet in front of me was a tavern with letters in brash shades of neon red and blue. "Seventh Heaven," the sign proclaimed. If this was heaven, I thought, I needed to pray for unattainable immortality. It was here, more than five years ago, that Avalanche, the original resistance movement, was born. Strangely, after regaining power, Link did not think to close this establishment. Maybe he left it open as a sign to those conspiring against him; "Resistance is futile. You could plot all you want for your precious revolutions, but change will never come, and you will never be free." In any case, since Cloud and Sephiroth's brutal public executions in 2004, no one dared to cross Link again. Link did not repeat Cloud's fatal flaw. Cloud had let Link recuperate in a jail cell, and he had paid a hefty price for his indiscretion. Link may have become a truly sinister, revolting facade of his former self, but he was smart enough to outwit his spiky-haired nemesis.

"_I've made it to the contact point. Are you sure Luigi will be here?"_ I muttered, though no one nearby would have seen my lips move. I was speaking privately, almost telepathically, through my mind's inner voice. Naomi was a despicable person, a traitor with a mind easily swayed. She nearly destroyed Philanthropy before the project even began. Still, her nanotechnology breakthroughs had proven useful, and her innovations would outlast her demise.

"_I have no idea," _Otacon's high-pitched voice responded. _"Stay on your guard. Luigi used to be a top law enforcement officer in Link's regime. He could still be working with the enemy. But we don't have any other leads. Few high ranking government officials willingly find themselves in the slums."_

"_Isn't he Mario's brother? Seems like an odd candidate to turn traitor,"_ I said.

"_Yes,"_ said Phoenix, the third and final participant in our traditional codec conversations. _"He's Mario's younger brother."_

"_Strange. I don't feel comfortable trusting the word of General Mario's brother. It's more likely Luigi's either set up a trap, or he's been burned so bad by Link's Administration that he'd have nothing to offer us." _

"_I understand your concerns, but it's still a risk worth taking,"_ replied Phoenix, in his traditional matter-of-fact recitation. _"I knew Luigi, albeit vaguely, back in my days as an attorney. He had a heart, and a conscience. A nice guy surrounded by piranhas. He just got caught up in the wrong kinds of causes. Having an influential older brother immersed in such a world…led to the inevitable."_

"_Besides,"_ Otacon interjected, _"you're still the best covert operative in the world, trained by Foxhound, the clone of Big Boss."_

"_Foxhound. Big Boss. Those words mean nothing these days,"_ I said, spitting those putrid words out of my mouth as if they were curses. _"And I'm getting older, in case you haven't noticed."_

Phoenix did not bother to attempt a response. He had probably grown accustomed to my growing cynicism. _"A woman named Tifa Lockheart is Seventh Heaven's owner. Former Avalanche member. It might be worth trying to converse with her. She was one of the leaders alongside Cloud and Sephiroth back in 2003."_

"_And she was spared the aftermath of Link's coup?"_

Phoenix paused for a moment, seeming to search for the right words to say. _"She has...assets. Link found her...useful, for a while. When he grew tired of her servitude, he let her go. Link no longer views Avalanche as a threat. Its remaining members have dispersed, and without Cloud and Sephiroth to rally them, they're in no position to commit to any more acts of terrorism. Link views them with absolute contempt, but massacring every former Avalanche member would probably lead to an avalanche of martyrs. Better to leave the weaker ones alive and impoverished." _

"_It also provides Link a convenient terrorist group to blame whenever anything goes wrong,"_ said Otacon. _"Every disaster is Avalanche's fault these days, and the media's portrayal only keeps Link's approval ratings stable. The administration could practically get away with genocide and no one would know!"_

"_Sounds like your cherished legal system is in a pretty deep pile of shit, Phoenix," _I replied.

_"Hey, buddy. I'm holding onto what little faith I have left,"_ said Phoenix. _"But with Edgeworth effectively running the Turks... the courts are absolutely emasculated. There's no such thing as objective truth, justice, equality. Edgeworth shut me down, and nearly everyone else who possessed a shred of integrity. Even prosecutors with a reputation as severe as Franziska von Karma were threatened. For all I know, she just might be dead. Most respectable esquires and politicians were butchered, along with the Constitution."_

"_Listen, Snake. You can reach Phoenix and I anytime you need to. Phoenix is a master at social interaction, laws, and politics. You can contact him for advice in handling interpersonal situations that you might struggle with. Remember, you'll need to cultivate friendships and relationships if you're going to last long out there. You can reach me anytime you need advice on technical issues. Computer hacking, repairing damaged equipment, that kind of stuff. We're here for you twenty-four seven, man. Don't forget about us."_

"_Affirmative. I'm commencing Operation Philanthropy. The first objective is to find Luigi Mario."_ I usually tried to keep military lingo light when speaking to Otacon and Phoenix, who were unaccustomed to their usage. In these kinds of moments, however, the habit was too hard to resist.

"_Good luck, Snake. Make 'em pay,"_ said Otacon.

"_Just, promise me you'll forgo violence whenever you can?" _said Phoenix. _"We don't need to mar the cause with any unnecessary bloodshed."_

"_Deal,"_ I said. _"We're not Avalanche."_

"_While you're at it, can you promise me you'll give up that atrocious smoking habit?"_ Otacon pleaded. _"You really can't afford it. With the accelerated aging kicking in and FOXDIE in your system, the nicotine could react..."_

"_No deal, Hal,"_ I replied._ "You know me better than that."_

Once the conversation ended, I gathered one final look at my immediate surroundings. Having stood motionlessly in a spot for several minutes, I had garnered some stares from a few elderly men gathered next to a tent near the tavern. I nodded calmly at them and pressed onward. In this place, my moments of inaction while using nanotechnology were simply excused as atypical. Not every man in the depths could make a substantive claim of sanity. However, it could pose a far greater problem later in the mission, when my periods of eerie silence would be greeted with less mere curiosity and more clear suspicion.

Opening the door into Seventh Heaven, I was greeted immediately with a foul odor, a mix of alcohol, sweat, and filth. Nonetheless, this dump was probably still among the cleanest buildings in the forsaken seventh sector slums. My presence was barely acknowledged by the crowd, most of whom were too engaged in their own meager concerns. I looked for a tall, lean, mustachioed man fitting Luigi's basic description, but none fit the mark. In the interim, I noted that the group in the tavern was nothing if not eclectic. A gorgeous, well-endowed woman with raven-black hair was serving drinks and striking small conversation with the local inhabitants. Under other circumstances this would have merited my attention, but partaking in flirtatious banter was not at the forefront of my thoughts. The cries of terror from that young girl at the checkpoint were still too freshly ingrained. Furthermore, Tifa...I assumed it was her…didn't bother leaving much of herself to the imagination. Easy conquests rarely piqued my interest.

A small television, certainly the most expensive possession in the tavern, was blasting the proceedings of a sports game between the Neo Kokiri Elves and the Neo Hyrule Knights. No one seemed to be watching. There was another woman in the far back of the bar who had relinquished herself to the shadows of the establishment's dust-infested corners. In the center table, a group of men seemed to be enjoying an intense game of poker. As I examined the scene, I wondered exactly what to do next.

_**So it began.**_

**STATUS: **

**Weapons: **Beretta M9 tranquilizer pistol, six chaff grenades, and six stun grenades.

**Social Links: **None.

_**Support Links: **__Phoenix Wright, Hal Emmerich. _

**DECISION: **

_**What should Snake do next? **_

**A: **Order a drink and strike up some small talk with Tifa. _(Not chosen, five votes.) _**  
>B: <strong>Ask Tifa if she knows anything about Luigi Mario. _(Not chosen, zero votes.)_**  
>C: <strong>Ask Tifa to change the television channel to Termina's News Network. _(Not chosen, zero votes.)_**  
>D: <strong>Join the company of the men playing the poker game. _**(Chosen, six votes.) **_**  
>E:<strong> Introduce yourself to the woman in the corner. _(Not chosen, two votes.) _


	3. Instruction Manual: Introduction

Snake,

I'm sure you've heard the old Wutai proverb that "prior preparation prevents poor performance." Hah, do you like that one? Try saying it several times out loud, it's a real tongue twister.

Anyway, I've prepared these notes to assist you as you go about your mission. I've stored them in the suitcase you've brought with you, so you can access them whenever you'd like. Of course, you're under no obligation to read any of this. I'm sure most of it covers stuff you already know. Still, be sure to check this information anytime you need some pointers. And remember, Phoenix and I are always there to lend a helping hand.

…Well, not literally. We won't actually be anywhere near Termina. I'm sure you understand what I mean, though.

One last Wutai proverb for you: "Revolutions are not made of rose-water." This means that you can't just plant seeds in a garden and expect a revolution to happen. Hardly any successful revolutionaries are gardeners. Can you imagine being intimidated by any warrior who called himself a flower or a seed? So no matter how much you may want to plant some green shrubs in Termina, you need to resist that urge. Let the bleakness of bare soil remind you of what you're there to accomplish.

Sincerely,

Otacon

_(Snake: Looked up the real meaning of that last proverb for you. Knew you'd ask me to confirm Hal's brilliant deductions, so I did the research in advance. "Revolutions are not made of rose-water" means that rebellions are not be successful without the use of illegal and unethical violence. I'd like you to know that I personally disagree with the implications of this proverb. I'd like to believe Otacon would too, if he actually knew what it meant. I know that maintaining the perfect field of tulips is a real passion of yours, so rest assured that you can plant all the seeds you'd like. – Phoenix.)_

What? Snake likes to garden? I've known him for years and he never told me that!

And stop ruining these notes, Phoenix! This is a personal gift from me to Snake!

_(…Dense as always. I miss the days when my assistants understood sarcasm.)_

**_The Instruction Manual _**

**Table of Contents**

**A.** Gaia: A Recent History

**B.** Termina: Below the Plates

**C.** Termina: The City Above

**D.** Operation Philanthropy: The Main Missions

**E.** Operation Philanthropy: Sidequests

**F.** Operation Philanthropy: Security Threat Levels

**G.** Equipment, Gil and Weaponry

**H.** Social Links Dissected

**J.** Romantic Links Dissected

**K.** Illnesses, Injuries, and other Inconveniences

**L.** The Brief Guide to Voting


	4. Instruction Manual: Gaia

**_Instruction Manual_**

**Part A. **

**Gaia: A Recent History**

The Ancients once called this world 'Gaia,' and though their civilization was destroyed thousands of years ago, the name for the planet itself has survived as a final relic of a forgotten era. Many commoners refer to their planet as 'Earth' or simply, 'the world.' Most of its history has been shrouded under a veil of secrecy, yet to understand the necessity of Operation Philanthropy one must comprehend the recent events that have sent Gaia into a terrible nosedive.

It has been 2009 years since the last bastion of the Ancients fell into ruin and disrepair. The loss of the Ancients and their Golden Age was a horrific calamity; for hundreds of years, a Dark Age of terror threatened to undermine any hope of civilized society. The relatively recent discovery of coal and oil as sources for fuel and power lifted the world from eras of brutality and endless warfare. However, these resources were sparse, and only limited quantities existed to be mined and harvested. It was in these tenuous times that an aspiring entrepreneur named Rudolph Shinra would rise to fame. The birth of the Shinra Corporation and the birth of a clone named Solid Snake occurred at roughly the same time. Both events would forever change the fate of Gaia and its people.

**Timeline of Recent Events**

**NOTE:** Only certain well-known events will be covered by this timeline, and this timeline is written from the perspective of Solid Snake's limited knowledge of past events. This history may subsequently be inaccurate, as it is based on a discreet mixture of state-sponsored propaganda, mythology and truth. As Solid Snake undergoes Operation Philanthropy, he will doubtlessly learn more about what really happened. In the beginning, however, this synopsis is a fairly accurate representation of Snake's own knowledge of global events.

**pre-1972: **Midgar, then a typical ground-level city-state dominated by a democratically elected Council government and powered by coal and oil, was locked in a deadly world war with another powerful city-state named Wutai. Midgar and Wutai competed for access to the world's last fully operational coal mines, located in North Corel, a town nestled in a continent directly between the two superpowers. The odds originally seemed to favor Wutai, which possessed a larger and better equipped military.

However, one of Midgar's covert operatives, an expertly trained soldier codenamed Big Boss, proved to be a decisive influence. In a highly classified series of operations, Big Boss changed the tide of battle, administering a series of punishing defeats to Wutai. It was alleged that Big Boss alone killed thousands of Wutai soldiers and destroyed several top-secret Wutai super-weapons. In 1970, Wutai was forced to agree to a ceasefire on terms that favored Midgar. This shocking victory stunned the people of Gaia and legitimized Midgar as the world's greatest superpower. Big Boss became a national hero, and Midgar officials could only hope that future soldiers would match his remarkable record of success.

**1972:** The Les Enfants Terribles project takes place. Solid and Liquid Snake, the world's first clones, are born.

Professor Gast, a university scholar who had contributed to Les Enfants Terribles, discovered a way to properly harness mako as a form of energy. The world had long known of the existence of mako. It had always been present in areas near ruins of Cities of the Ancients. Gast concluded that the Ancients powered their awe-inspiring metropolises with mako energy.

A young entrepreneur named Rudolph Shinra worked with Professor Gast to market mako as an alternative energy source. Shinra's vast inheritance and his political clout were invested into creating the world's first mako reactors.

The Shinra Corporation was founded. The design for Mako Reactors was patented. Construction of the first reactor began in a small town named Nibelhelm, located on the central continent.

**1974:** The first reactor in Nibelhelm opened and was a resounding success. Within months, Nibelhelm no longer needed coal or oil to properly supply electricity and fuel to its citizens. Politicians in Midgar were suitably impressed, and the Council of Midgar agreed to allow Rudolph Shinra to construct the same reactors in their own city. Shinra Corporation stocks reached record heights, and Rudolph Shinra began to establish a monopoly on the energy industry. Initially, he bought out smaller coal and oil enterprises and forced their factories to shut down.

**1975: **For highly classified reasons, Big Boss was sent on a covert operation into Wutai territory. Surprisingly, the mission ended in Big Boss' first failure. He was captured and imprisoned. This action was considered by many of Big Boss' adoring fans in Midgar to be a declaration of war. The Council of Midgar turned to Rudolph Shinra to construct mako-powered war machines capable of obliterating the Wutai army. Shinra finishes one such design, but his work proved unnecessary. Before the war truly began, Wutai announced that Big Boss had escaped from their confinement. A treaty with harsh terms against Wutai was hastily agreed upon. Midgar authorities officially reported that Big Boss returned to a beach house in Costa del Sol and began a peaceful retirement. Despite these reports, no one had actually seen Big Boss since.

**1976:** In memory of Big Boss' outstanding record of service, FOXHOUND was founded. The covert agency was originally a branch of the Turks Intelligence Agency. Eventually, it became its own independent entity. FOXHOUND's purpose was to train a new generation of soldiers to succeed in covert operations and stealth missions. Original members included a teenage Grey Fox, a younger Colonel Campbell, Adam, and Eva. The project's head, Major Zero, was transferred from Midgar's armed forces to run this organization. Liquid and Solid Snake, then young children, were both mentored by FOXHOUND personnel in an undisclosed location.

**1977:** The Council of Midgar arranges for an international treaty to be signed, with the Shinra Corporation as a key participant in negotiations. The treaty is extremely favorable to Shinra, granting absolute autonomy to construct mako reactors throughout the world. Rumors lingered that the nation of Wutai and other anthro settlements, such as Cosmo Canyon, were bullied and threatened into accepting the treaty.

**1978:** Severe oil and coal shortages granted Rudolph Shinra a strong platform to run for President of Midgar. With a strong advisory team and substantial monetary resources at his disposal, Shinra easily defeated his opposition. His proposed policies included plans to construct a vast series of plates to lift Midgar from the ground. He intended to create a metropolis in the heavens, designed to emulate the Cities of the Ancients.

**1979:** Rudolph Shinra is inaugurated. He immediately increased taxes substantially in order to create the revenue necessary to construct the plates. Nonetheless, his monopoly on mako energy had such a powerful grip on Gaia that the livelihood of the people of Midgar still drastically improved under his reign, ensuring stable approval ratings.

**1980:** An elf named Link was born to an unassuming family in the forests of Kokiri.

**1981:** Major Zero was murdered. Eva, the foster mother of Solid and Liquid Snake, died under similarly mysterious circumstances. Adam, infuriated by this turn of events, kidnapped a young Liquid Snake and abandoned FOXHOUND. After these incidents, Roy Campbell was promoted to lead the organization. Meryl Silverberg, Campbell's niece (technically his daughter,) was also born this year.

**1982:** President Shinra won re-election in a landslide.

**1984:** Midgar's massive central pillar was successfully constructed, and Shinra Headquarters were built on top of it. The Headquarters were effectively lifted 100 meters off the ground.

**1986: **Ignoring the technical language of Midgar's constitution, President Shinra suspended the 1986 elections and claimed a new role as President for Life. Given his stellar approval ratings among the wealthy and powerful, his authoritarian decree was not challenged.

**1987:** The First Sector plate was completed. Midgar's wealthiest citizens began moving to the metropolis above, while those less fortunate were condemned to live in a perpetual shade. Increasing inequalities in wealth began to fragment the city-state.

**1989:** Rumors began to surface that Liquid Snake was taken by Adam to Wutai, where he was secretly raised as a covert operative. A few successful sabotage missions against Shinra reactors in the central continent suggested the involvement of a skilled covert operative trained in FOXHOUND infiltration techniques.

**1990:** Solid Snake was sent on his first mission, receiving assistance from Grey Fox. The two protected the Nibelhelm reactor from a terrorist attack. While the mission was a success, Grey Fox was seriously injured in a fight with an unspecified enemy operative. Solid Snake blamed himself, as he was not present to stop Fox's attacker. Frank Jaeger was placed in intensive care in Shinra Headquarters.

**1991:** Half of the Midgar plates were finished. The remainder were still under construction, but by this time, citizens below the plates could no longer see the sky above them. As sunlight became increasingly restricted, flora and fauna beneath the plates withered away.

**1994:** Solid Snake was sent to stop an insurrection on the island of Zanzibar, located near the coast of Wutai. Midgar was concerned of the possibility that Wutai was actively facilitating and promoting the rebellion. The mission was a resounding success. The young Solid Snake achieved considerable fame and publicity for his efforts.

**1995:** All the plates in Midgar were finished; the sixth sector plate was the last to reach completion. President Shinra began to take an interest in administering an iron rule in the slums beneath his shining metropolis. New citizenship laws severely restricted opportunities for commoners in the ghettos to migrate above the plates. The Turks Intelligence Agency established an outpost to monitor the underworld in the fifth sector slums. Taxes were much more oppressive in the slums than they are on the surface of the plates, but no one in the slums possessed the political clout necessary to challenge Shinra.

**1997:** As President Shinra began to succumb to old age, his paranoia was heightened. Driven by fear and greed, Shinra blamed the Zanzibar incident two years prior on Wutai. With tacit approval from Campbell, FOXHOUND and the TIA, Shinra used the incident to justify a second world war. This time, Wutai was bombed into dust. Only a tiny minority of Wutai's citizens survived the onslaught. Snake personally approved of this decision. He trusted Shinra's inflammatory propaganda and believed that Frank Jaeger had been avenged.

**1999:** The Shadow Moses incident occured, which was also known as the FOXHOUND Civil War. A Shinra military base on a small island off the coast of the frozen northern continent was the new scene of a violent revolution. This time, Liquid Snake, Solid's estranged sibling, returned to prominence, and his presence sparked a civil war among FOXHOUND's own ranks. Several traitorous FOXHOUND agents joined former FOXHOUND operative Revolver Ocelot (once known as Adam) and Liquid Snake in an unlikely alliance. These agents included Sniper Wolf, Vulcan Raven, Decoy Octopus and Psycho Mantis, all of whom Snake knew by reputation.

Liquid believed that his revolution was independent of any Midgar influence. In reality, Midgar's then-Secretary of Defense, Jim Houseman, was secretly responsible for orchestrating the incident and even enabled the traitorous agents to defect. He ensured Campbell's role in opposing the revolution of his FOXHOUND subordinates by placing Campbell's daughter, Meryl, in the facility at the time of the revolt.

Campbell ordered Snake to take down the rebels and restore order to the military facility. In Shadow Moses, Snake killed the majority of his former co-workers, rescued Meryl, met and befriended a scientist named Hal Emmerich, destroyed a nuclear machine named Metal Gear Rex, and killed his brother Liquid through exposure to a disease named FOX-DIE. The success of Snake's operation ensured Solid Snake's mythological status as a new hero in the true mold of his 'father,' Big Boss. Liquid Snake's defeat ensured President Shinra's continued rule and Midgar's continued prosperity.

Yet these accomplishments came with a heavy cost. Snake was exposed to several government conspiracies and cover-ups, he was injected with a virus named FOX-DIE, and he blamed Campbell for deliberately misleading him in regards to the true purpose of his mission. These schisms led Snake to prematurely retire from FOXHOUND. Despite Snake's knowledge of classified secrets, Shinra and the Turks could not actively attempt to eliminate Snake, as he became a beloved figure in Midgar's lore. Instead, Jim Houseman was the one who took the fall for the Shadow Moses Incident. Houseman was accused of single-handedly leading the Shadow Moses conspiracy and he was summarily executed.

**2000:** A violent confrontation between Solid Snake and Colonel Campbell left Campbell dead, and threatened the viability of Snake's relationship with Meryl, who he had been dating. Around this time, a thug named Tommy Vercetti began his path to acquire property and power in the seventh sector slums.

**2001:** President Shinra died, presumably of natural causes due to his old age. This development sent Midgar into the brink of absolute anarchy. His son, Rufus Shinra, was young, filthy rich, and uninterested in politics. He chose to live a luxurious, decadent life in Costa del Sol and remained unconcerned with events in the metropolis. Instead of ruling, he facilitated a process of democratic elections to find a suitable replacement interested in leading Midgar.

**2002:** The Elections of 2002 in Midgar resulted in a surprising victory for an elf named Link, one of over sixty opponents who ran on the ballots. Link, who only technically resided in forests owned by Midgar and thus was barely even considered a citizen of the state, ran on a platform of systemic change and successfully galvanized hordes of support from the impoverished citizens of the slums. Nonetheless, he almost immediately rescinded every one of his lofty campaign promises. A corrupted Link's rule of terror began early, as Link executed and imprisoned dozens of his former opponents, renamed his metropolis Termina, and redistricted the city. One of Link's former electoral opponents, Mario, was promoted in a political compromise to a position as Link's new five-star military General.

**2003:** After Link controversially and illegally seized most of Rufus Shinra's inheritance, Rufus was roused into becoming an active opponent of Link's Administration. He funded the Avalanche Revolution. The uprising was composed of a mixture of President Shinra's former loyalists and true socialist and communist advocates for environmental reforms and wealth redistribution. Led by two powerful military officers, Cloud Strife and Sephiroth, Avalanche enlisted dozens of leaders and thousands of supporters, including Meryl Silverberg, who was killed sometime during the revolt. The Avalanche revolution temporarily deposed Link, and Cloud was nominated to become the city's new leader.

However, Cloud committed an egregious mistake in allowing Link to live and stand trial for his crimes. Link's allies included Miles Edgeworth. At the time, Edgeworth was a defense attorney and he worked in the profession alongside Phoenix Wright. Edgeworth deftly maneuvered to absolve Link of most of his 'guilt' in a public trial, and Link was transferred to a minimum-security above-plate facility for minor misdemeanors. Link eventually escaped imprisonment.

**2004:** Link's coup reacquired control of Termina, and Link was reinstated as President. Link promoted Edgeworth to a position as Termina's Head Prosecutor, and a rift developed between Edgeworth and Phoenix. Cloud Strife, Sephiroth, and Rufus Shinra were all summarily killed, as Link does not make Cloud's mistake of showing mercy to a defeated opponent. Lower-ranking Avalanche leaders were allowed to live in disgrace as impoverished residents in Termina's slums.

The Diaspora began, and its ramifications upon Gaia were massive. For unexplained reasons, millions of residents throughout Gaia were forced to relocate into Termina's cramped slums in the underworld. Thousands upon thousands died during the journey, and thousands more were killed by an outburst of deadly diseases in the slums. Only the wealthiest supporters of Link's Administration were absolved of the necessity to relocate.

Anthros, who rejected residing in the confinement of cities on principle, rebelled. An Anthro named Sonic led an opposition movement against the Diaspora, and the vast majority of Gaia's Anthros joined him in a desperate stand on Cosmo Canyon. General Mario and Sonic had been rivals earlier in life, and General Mario relished the opportunity to kill Sonic and massacre his supporters. A majority of the revolting Anthros were murdered in cold blood. The few that escaped death were marshaled into the Sector Seven slums.

**2005:** The infamous 'Attempted Murder' trial, _Termina v. Peach_, occurred. Peach, an attractive blonde stripper in the slums, was accused of conspiring and attempting to murder General Mario. Mario had been stabbed in the shoulder, and everyone in Termina expected Peach to be summarily killed for her crimes. Head Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth was slated to head the prosecution but deferred, allowing Franziska von Karma, the daughter of Edgeworth's mentor Manfred von Karma, to prosecute the case. Phoenix Wright defended Peach. Phoenix found proof that Mario had attempted to rape Peach before she committed the crime. Edgeworth privately met with Phoenix and pleaded with him to refuse to introduce the evidence in court.

Undeterred, Phoenix introduced the evidence and proved to the court that Peach had been acting in self-defense. Just before a verdict was reached, Link's cronies in Termina's administration shut down and restructured the entire legal system. Miles Edgeworth now constituted the prosecution, defense, judge and jury of every trial. As he now unilaterally made every decision, Edgeworth immediately decreed that Mario was innocent and Peach was guilty. Peach was executed, Phoenix Wright was disgraced, and Franziska and her detective, Dick Gumshoe, were blamed for failing to prove Peach guilty.

**2006:** Phoenix Wright, reassigned to a humdrum office job at a boxing company, returned from work one day to find his wife Mia killed by an assassin. The Termina Justice System accused Maya Fey, Mia's younger sister and Wright's longtime assistant and friend, of committing the crime.

It became apparent that General Mario and the Turks Intelligence Agency were hunting down the remaining few who knew the truth of the Peach trial. Subsequently, Phoenix made an unlikely alliance with his former opponents Franziska von Karma and Dick Gumshoe, who were also being hunted by assassins. In their bid to escape Termina, however, Phoenix was separated from his friends. Phoenix was the only one to successfully escape. Establishing a residency in Kalm, Phoenix initially desired to acquire sufficient funding to head an expedition to find his lost friends. He eventually encountered Otacon and Snake and joined their operations. Snake has not yet pressed Phoenix for further details of 'what really happened.'

**2007:** Otacon, Snake, and Phoenix began working together in a secret bunker underneath Kalm. Their initial work was predominantly online, as they hacked into Link Administration servers in attempts to uncover Termina's dirty secrets. In the process, Otacon created "Philanthropy," a secretive website designed to uncover the truth behind all of Link's illegal policies and actions.

**2008:** Otacon surmised that mako, the lifeblood of Gaia, was being drained from the planet at an unprecedented rate. According to Otacon's theory, Professor Gast completely misinterpreted the true nature of mako energy. Far from consisting of the energy of the Ancients, mako energy was actually the lifeforce of the planet itself, an essential aura that bound the planet together. Without this lifeforce, the world would decay into disrepair and eventually all life would cease to exist. If this theory was accurate, less then a decade was left before the world ended.

In a tragically similar revelation, Otacon also deduced that advanced aging genes were beginning to act inside Snake's body. Snake already appeared to be in his mid-forties, and the aging effects continued to develop at exponential rates. Otacon deduced that Snake had approximately five to seven years of life left. Given these constraints, the group desperately brainstormed ideas for 'Operation Philanthropy,' Snake's final and most important mission.

**2009:** Operation Philanthropy begins in mid-January. The fate of Gaia rests on Solid Snake's shoulders.


	5. Instruction Manual: Beneath Termina

**_Instruction Manual_**

**Part B**

**Termina: Below the Plates**

Each sector below the plates is separated by a solid, supportive wall that reaches from the ground to the plates themselves. Thus, traveling from sector to sector is a rather difficult proposition in the underworld. In fact, most of the various ghettoed sectors are no longer linked to each other. Transportation between these sectors is infrequent and heavily regulated by various gangs, thugs, and enforcers.

**Sector 8: Mako Cannon Underwiring**

The Mako Cannon rests above Sector 8, and it's an immense piece of marvelous technological equipment. For security reasons, the territory underneath the cannon has long been vacated. Instead, there's a ceaseless plethora of wires connecting the cannon to each reactor, along with pillars and electrical stations designed to support the cannon itself.

**Sector 7: Slums**

This is where Snake's journey begins. The sector most 'independent' from the Link Administration's pervasive influence, the sector seven slums are dominated by three tribes and a single mafioso (Tommy Vercetti's) that plays each tribe off the other. Exactly why Link allows these tribes a middling degree of independence from Termina's influence is an intriguing question. Nonetheless, the three tribes represent the most assertive, fundamentally free individuals that are nonetheless stuck within Termina's vast underbelly.

The sector seven slums are composed of ramshackle slum dwellings, most of which are tents or 'buildings' constructed from the spare parts of broken-down vehicles and appliances. The few concrete, brick and mortar buildings that have subsisted from the 'old days' are owned by Tommy Vercetti, who leases them to the highest bidder. In fact, nearly all the desirable real estate in the seventh sector has Vercetti stamped across it. Vercetti, a former subordinate of Claude's, has dominated this sector for nearly the past decade. Though he has hired only a tiny minority of the slum's citizens to do his dirty work, the fragmentation of the three warring tribes has given Vercetti little opposition to worry about. Most citizens of the slums are too busy fighting amongst each other for the last scraps on the kitchen table to bother realizing who is responsible for their impoverished, middling lifestyles.

The three tribes that compete for the slum's meager resources are the Al Bhed, the Anthros, and the Necros. Each tribe is largely comprised of victims of the Diaspora, and each tribe has been driven to despise the others over the past five years. In addition to the space owned by each of the three tribes, there is a strong Avalanche presence in the seventh sector slums, as this is one of the few places a former revolutionary could now call home. Tifa Lockheart runs the town's most popular 'neutral' bar, Seventh Heaven. Furthermore, the seventh sector is home to a bustling marketplace where anything...even slaves...can be purchased with spare gil. (In fact, the slaves are cheaper than most firearms.)

A train once ran from upper plate districts to lower slums in every odd-numbered sector. However, the seventh sector's trainyard has since become a graveyard, as Link shut down the train service in this district. Claude and his soldiers monitor the only opening from the sector seven slums to sector six, but most wayfarers without upper plate passports are rejected outright from proceeding into Liberty City.

**Sector 6: Liberty City**

Formerly 'Wall Street,' the decadent epicenter of old Midgar's burgeoning commercial district, the sixth sector of Termina's underworld still contains a healthy number of skyscrapers, ancient monuments to its former glory. As such, it's the 'wealthiest' sector in the slums, though the current source of Liberty City's abundant gil is stems from unsavory sources. Under the leadership of Claude, Liberty City has become a bastion of a certain kind of 'freedom...' namely, the kind of unethical freedom that enables bad people to get away with bad things. Prostitution, slavery, gambling, hard drugs, assassinations, orgies...any kind of abhorrent decadence can be found in abundance in Claude's haven. With no independent tribes to barter with Claude for control, this entire district is essentially Claude's playground. Not everyone in Liberty City approves of Claude's displays of depravity, but nearly everyone here passively accepts Claude's rule. The district's residents seem to implicitly understand that without Claude, they would be every bit as impoverished as residents in Sector 5 or Sector 7.

Sector Six's buildings are lit afire with luscious neon lights, beckoning many wayfarers to come into its casinos and whorehouses and part with their gil for all kinds of immoral services. As such, Liberty City is actually frequently visited by a number of indulgent clientele from the upper plates. This was the district where General Mario once attempted to rape Peach. Most in the upper plates accept the necessity of sector six's existence, under the belief that the sinful need some place in Termina to flex their muscles and have their 'fun.'

**Sector 5: Tenement Towers**

Of the millions upon millions of residents in Termina, the majority live here. Underneath the plates. Stacked in a single sector. The Tenement Towers are where the vast majority of humanity lingers, in its perpetually comatose state. A Turks outpost here ensures that the citizens here remain blind sheep, either unwilling or outright incapable of understanding the true source of their suffering. Here, in exchange for "protection," the citizens living in the Tenement Towers are told they have a chance of winning a lottery that would procure them train tickets to the world above. The sad reality is that the vast majority of Termina's impoverished buy this hook and sinker. They reside in sector five and eagerly await their winning tickets, seeking a redemptive moment that will certainly never come.

The Tenement Towers are baffling structures, huge in size and girth, nearly tall enough to clip the bottom of the plate above them. Inside these sullied flats, the masses live packed together like sardines. Unlike the independent tribes of sector seven, most peoples here have no sense of autonomy, and instinctively believe the Link Administration's propaganda. The Turks presence in the region ensures no major disruptions against the ruling authorities.

In the center of sector five lies a church, a forgotten mausoleum built to honor an abandoned god. What little resistance to the Turks lies here in this church, where a few committed rebels seek to free the residents of the Tenement Towers from their horrific fates. Nonetheless, these rebels do not seek systemic change. They only wish for minor concessions, increased rights and liberties for the dispossessed hordes residing in the filth of the towers.

**Sector 4: The Barrens**

Neo Labrynna's citizens are the wealthiest in Termina, and as such, the aristocrats there were more than capable of purchasing the land beneath them. The Barrens has a unique double meaning. It simultaneously honors the barons above its domain and is also an accurate description of exactly what can be found in its depths...nothing. Absolutely nothing. The wealthy residents of Neo Labrynna purchased this land at outrageously unfair prices to ensure that no miscreants would sleep under their homes.

**Sector 3: The Colosseum**

Like the citizens of ancient Rome, the people of Termina need a source of entertainment to blind them from the stark realities of their corrupt government. Link's Administration has been more than happy to provide them such a diversion. The Colosseum represents the raw brutality of Link's metropolis. The greatest fighters in the slums willingly submit themselves to compete in the Colosseum in order to live in the relative comforts of its surroundings. Those who compete in the Colosseum do earn a stable income, and can live in their own homes.

Those luxuries may be worth the immense risk necessary to compete. The contestants at the Colosseum risk their lives and limbs to provide elegant fan service to those in the stands. Some compete in 'Battle Royales,' where they are assigned random bouts and thrust into the arena. Only the last one standing will live to tell the tale. Others are forced to fight against enraged monsters and wild animals. Some consider the scene depressing, but most are bloodthirsty enough to thoroughly enjoy the unrelenting barbarism. On rare occasions, Link himself is said to have visited the Colosseum. It would seem that he takes great pleasure in indulging in the miseries of others.

**Sector 2: Junkyard**

What better place to store Termina's jaw-dropping amount of chemical waste than beneath its productive industrial district? Special reinforced walls protect the horrific stench from escaping these doldrums. It's certainly not a place any rational man would want to spend a mere moment, lest he become infected with an array of crippling diseases.

**Sector 1: Dungeon**

There are many prisons littering the various sectors and townships that comprise the city-state of Termina, but only one is as fear-inducing a sight as The Dungeon, the maximum-security enclosure run by a branch of sadistic militants in the Turks Intelligence Agency.

No one knows much about the Dungeon, perhaps because no prisoner has actually escaped the enclave alive. If Snake finds himself in the Dungeon, he will face greater challenges than he's ever overcome. But, it just might be the perfect job for the man who strives to make the impossible possible.


	6. Instruction Manual: Termina's Townships

**_Instruction Manual_**

**Part C**

**Termina: The City Above**

While the underworld of Termina is divided into numbered subsections, the plates comprising the metropolis of Termina itself is divided into seven townships. Some of these regions possess a minor degree of autonomy and self-governance, but the majority are administered directly by bureaucratic officials loyal to Link's Administration. The centerpiece of the elaborate technological superstructure is a central pillar upon which Shinra Headquarters, the tallest skyscraper in the world, resides. On the very top floor of this lumbering behemoth, Link sits in his luxurious penthouse.

Snake's primary objective is to kill the elf. Reaching him, however, will not prove an easy task.

**Mako Cannon** _(Above Sector Eight) _

An entire eighth of Termina is uninhabited and houses a single massive cannon. The Mako Cannon was constructed in the final years of then-President Shinra's reign, when the ruler of Midgar suffered from serious fits of paranoia. The cannon was intended to display Midgar's military prowess to the world and to protect the metropolis from any attack. Unfortunately, despite its monstrous size, the cannon itself is a cumbersome and ineffective piece of hardware, incapable of targeting threats that do not approach at an exact horizontal angle. While the cannon still draws an immense amount of mako energy, Link has diverted much of its funding to support other classified projects.

**Neo Ikana** _(Above Sector Seven) _

Occasionally labeled as a 'ghost town,' Neo Ikana was once a bustling community mostly comprised of the project managers, engineers and other various employees responsible for constructing and maintaining the Mako Cannon. In recent days, however, Link's Administration has actively attempted to relocate a majority of the Mako Cannon's former workers to assist in other projects. As a result, Neo Ikana is a shadow of its former glory. It remains a far better place to reside than the slums beneath it, but Neo Ikana's emphasis on heavy industry makes it far from comparable to the beacons of prosperity found in other Termina townships.

**Neo Gerudo **_(Above Sector Six) _

Neo Gerudo was once a relatively peaceful township, but under the reign of Link nefarious forces in the underworld have infiltrated its governance. Claude owns a mansion in Neo Gerudo, which he visits infrequently, and he as attempted with some degree of success to reinvent Neo Gerudo as an above-plate version of Liberty City. Organized crime syndicates throughout Gaia are said to meet in Neo Gerudo to discuss their various operations around the world. Link's Administration officials doubtlessly meet and interact with these individuals on a frequent basis. If nothing else, the facilitation of illicit projects in Neo Gerudo ensures a certain standard of comfortable living for its inhabitants. In fact, most of Claude's hired lackeys hope to retire comfortably in Neo Gerudo after their years of service in Liberty City.

**Neo Darunia**_ (Above Sector Five) _

Dominated by various branches of the Termina Armed Forces (TAF), Neo Darunia is largely comprised by military officers and their families. General Mario's headquarters are here, nestled in an army base in the center of this popular and productive township. Neo Darunia is the 'gateway to the upper world,' linked to the slums by a large train station. Occasionally, for sheer propaganda purposes, a few select denizens in the tenements are offered a new life here. Their entrance into 'civilized society' marks a celebratory gala and an opportunity for Link's Administration to market itself as a beloved force for change and progress. Neo Darunia's tight security and its staunch military presence makes it the ideal district to introduce these wide-eyed wayfarers. Here, they will be watched at all times, and their every move will be monitored by a consortium of Turks and military officials.

**Neo Labrynna**_ (Above Sector Four) _

This is the residential sector for Termina's wealthiest residents, historically the benefactors of Midgar's Golden Age of mako-infused prosperity. The aristocrats who populate Neo Labrynna are generally not Termina Administration officials. Most of them were loyal to President Shinra but do not feel a similar bond of fealty to Link. Yet their financial contributions are vital to Termina's vitality, so Link and his cronies effectively enable the locals to govern Neo Labrynna as a semi-autonomous township and ensure its nobility an illusion of independence. Neo Labrynna has its own Council, a bygone symbol from Midgar's earlier system of republican governance, but for the most part this Council only acts symbolically. Neo Labrynna is undoubtedly the most beautiful of Termina's plates, complete with an abundance of actual flora and fauna. Advanced technology developed by Neo Labrynna's sharpest scientific minds purifies the air and water in the region, and generous amounts of soil were imported from farmlands south of Kalm. As a result, parks, gardens and greenhouses are plentiful in its sparsely populated territory.

The township's educational system is second-to-none, and gifted students throughout every township flock to train their skills in Neo Labrynna's two renowned secondary schools, Gekkoukan and Yasogami. The two secondary schools have distinct identities and indulge in a bitter rivalry. Iwatodai, located in the inner portion of Neo Labrynna's plate, is particularly wealthy, well-connected and closely linked to Termina's commercial sectors. Inaba, located in the outer half of Neo Labrynna's plate, is somewhat less conformist and more detached from the inner workings of Termina, but it is less wealthy and less developed, and its residents are often deemed inferior by those in Iwatodai. Iwatodai's Gekkoukan School has a renowned history of thoroughly dominating Inaba's Yasogami School in athletic and academic competitions.

Neo Labrynna also maintains Gaia's most elite college, Balamb University. The brightest graduates from Gekkoukan and Yasogami are fortunate to attend this institution. While the most gifted young tacticians and warriors in SeeD (Balamb's elite trainees) and SEES (the secondary school systems' equivalents) are expected to protect Termina and work alongside Link's Administration, Link has recently pressured Neo Labrynna's authorities to reapportion SeeD and SEES members into TAF military academies in Neo Darunia. While Neo Labrynna's aristocrats resent Termina's increasing totalitarian grip, most of the nobles are complicit in contributing mightily to Link's Administration, out of greed, traditional allegiance to their homelands, or strategic necessity.

**Neo Hyrule** _(Above Sector Three) _

Called the 'heart of Termina,' Neo Hyrule is the upper plates' most densely populated district, as well as its haven of commercial enterprise. The awe-inspiring skyscrapers in Neo Hyrule are a sight to behold, and the township is a cornucopia of technological inventions and inspired engineering. A scientific sanctuary, this was the township where Professor Gast resided after his retirement, and many monuments dedicated to the mastermind of mako are scattered throughout the region. Aperture Laboratories, a scientific research conglomeration, is located in the township and was funded in large part by Professor Gast's estate. Corporate bigwigs, up-and-coming capitalistic entrepreneurs, Administration officials, and middle-class workers all live in Neo Hyrule's clustered, high-end apartments. Neo Hyrule also contains Termina's most prestigious marketplace, where nearly any gizmo or gadget can be purchased.

Neo Hyrule was the home of Phoenix Wright and his law practice during his time as an attorney. It is also the home of the Chozo Federation, a loose organization of bounty hunters, assassins and mercenaries for hire led by Samus Aran, an infamous person whose true identity remains shrouded in mystery. Samus assisted in Link's breakout from prison and has supported his rule, though the mercenary leader's true motivations for maintaining such an alliance with Termina's government remains unknown. The Chozo Federation is currently embroiled in a public feud with General Mario and the TAF, which views Chozo as a rival in receiving financial support and assignments from Link's Administration.

**Neo Midoro** _(Above Sector Two) _

Many residents in Neo Hyrule's predominantly commercial and residential districts commute to Neo Midoro, Termina's Industrial sector. Neo Midoro contains Termina's single largest reactor, an enormous marvel of a power plant that dominates nearly half the size of the entire plate. The rest of Neo Midoro includes the wide variety of manufacturing plants that produce everything Termina needs to remain a self-sustainable metropolis. WarioWare, Black Mesa, and Umbrella Pharmaceuticals are just some of the renowned corporate presences in the region.

Neo Midoro is also home to Termina's international airport. Once a vital hub for the city in an era when international trade was a necessary component of geopolitical affairs, Neo Midoro's airport is now relied upon merely to import food from distant lands into Termina. Even these shipments have become increasingly sparse. A new generation of scientists in Neo Midoro have deciphered ways to manufacture synthetic, artificial foodstuffs in several factories. Exposure to Neo Midoro's contaminated air for prolonged periods of time is considered hazardous for one's health. Because of this, residential developments in Neo Midoro have been razed and its occupants have been relocated to Neo Hyrule.

**Neo Kokiri** _(Above Sector One) _

Surpassed only by Neo Labrynna in its grotesque wealth and opulence, Neo Kokiri is the home for most Link Administration officials. Neo Kokiri is the only plate linked to the central pillar, and thus, residence in Neo Kokiri is a requirement for all employees who work in Shinra Headquarters. Link, General Mario, and several other prestigious administration officials possess enormous gothic mansions in Neo Kokiri, though Link is said to only rarely visit his 'second estate.' Neo Kokiri also includes the Headquarters of the Turks Intelligence Agency, which was once led by Avalanche sympathizer Tseng but is now under the helm of Link loyalist Ike, formally of the Greil Mercenaries. Ike and his agents serve as personal bodyguards, intelligence operatives, spies and enforcers. As a result of the presence of the TIA, security in Neo Kokiri is tight as nails.

**Shinra Headquarters**

Surprisingly, Link did not rename these headquarters, given that he did rename the other townships in Termina. Very little information has been made available to the public regarding Shinra Headquarters. What is certainly known is that the building itself is huge, perhaps even hundreds of stories in length. In this colossal structure, Link and other top-level Administration officials meet and debate the future of Termina. If Snake is fortunate enough to make it this far, this will be the final building he infiltrates in Operation Philanthropy.


	7. Instruction Manual: Main Missions

_**Instruction Manual**_

**Part D**

**Operation Philanthropy: The Main Missions**

The vast majority of Chapters in _The Legend of Snake_ explore the activities and interactions that define Snake's day-to-day life in Termina. Though almost every event contributes in some way, shape or form towards Snake's ultimate objective, most of these occurrences are not 'the main missions.' Depending on the choices Snake makes, there are anywhere between _seven_ and _eleven_ main missions that _must_ be completed in order for Operation Philanthropy to succeed.

Building social links, completing sidequests, and gathering information at the local tavern might provide Snake with significant benefits in completing these missions, but the cost of lingering too long in any single sector is time. Solid Snake may have more time available to him than in previous missions, and nearly a year seems more than sufficient to complete a covert assassination. (For more information regarding the imposed time constraints, **see** **Chapter Seven **of the main narrative.) This particular operation, however, is unlike any ordeal Snake has undertaken before.

It's important to note that mission chapters work differently than 'regular chapters.' In a regular chapter, which constitute the majority of those in the narrative, a single lengthy chapter tells a single coherent narrative of a series of events, and readers are given a series of choices at the end of the chapter. In _mission chapters,_ the chapter _itself_ is broken up into smaller pieces of narrative, and you're _constantly_ making life-or-death decisions. Mission chapters subsequently have a multitude of potential outcomes, and readers will act as greater participants in shaping the outcome of mission events.

The stakes are generally raised in mission chapters. In most regular chapters, the choices you make that impact Snake's daily routine rarely lead to lethal consequences. It's possible to be killed due to a _prolonged series_ of poor choices in regular chapters, but the odds of this are unlikely. Even in the townships above Termina, where security is far more prevalent and where the risks are far more dangerous, the likelihood of death when establishing social links or visiting marketplaces is rather small. Missions, by contrast, are inherently violent affairs, in which Snake is actively engaging in covert behavior (or outright conflict) with Link's Administration and its various affiliated cronies. The amount of time spent developing social links prior to each mission and the amount of effort spent organizing the missions themselves will influence their difficulty. Generally speaking, the more allies on-hand during missions, the better odds Snake has of succeeding. Level five social and level five romantic links add additional videogame style 'godmode' benefits that can make missions even easier in practice. Finally, decisions with ethical consequences made during the course of missions may have an impact on Snake's morality; **see** **Part E **for more details.

The more allies with lower-level social links working with Snake on a mission, the higher the chances are that Snake may be _betrayed._ Snake might be betrayed in the course of regular chapters, too, but the risks of betrayal are much higher during the course of missions. Level One and Two social links technically do not consider themselves Operation Philanthropy members, so risk of betrayal from these members is particularly high, and Snake would need to convincingly persuade many of these individuals to participate in the first place. Level three social links consider themselves Operation Philanthropy members and thus do not require coercion to participate in main missions, _but_ their affiliation with Operation Philanthropy is not strong enough to guarantee their continued allegiance. In general, the more poor decisions Snake makes during the course of _regular _chapters, the greater the probability that a character impacted by Snake's poor decisions will turn the tables and betray Snake's trust. In other words, if Snake indirectly contributed to the imprisonment of a character's close friend, it's not the best idea to assign this person to protect Snake in the next main mission.

(There is an exceptionally high probability that a mission will result in acquiring an injury or an illness. **See Part K **for further details.)

There are **minimum and maximum thresholds** that influence when the next story-progressing main mission is available for Snake to pursue. The minimum threshold is determined by a certain degree of information Snake _has to know_ before Snake can proceed with the next major objective. If this information has not been acquired, Snake will need to invest more time before the mission becomes available. Of course, there are several different paths Snake can take to acquire that knowledge, and Snake can ally a number of different factions or develop a number of social links to attain these prerequisites. As soon as the mission is available, readers will have the option to vote upon pursuing the mission at the beginning of any new day.

The _maximum_ threshold works a little differently. At a certain point, after _more than_ enough information has been gathered and a plethora of social links have been pursued, Snake will essentially be railroaded into advancing the storyline, and readers will have no choice but to commence the next mission. Usually, when this occurs, the reader can at least rest assured that the likelihood of Snake's success in the mission is high. (Nonetheless, this strong likelihood of success comes at the expense of a substantial amount of time.) This limitation exists to ensure that readers do not pursue every imaginable social link, at the risk of failing Operation Philanthropy outright. In fact, the maximum threshold ensures that Snake _can't_ acquire Level Five social links with everyone that he meets. This drastically increases the importance of sound decision-making when committing to a friendship or a relationship.

Nonetheless, there's still a potential of wide disparity in the amount of time and effort invested into any one region of Termina. Snake will eventually have to prioritize which regions to explore most thoroughly, and he will similarly have to prioritize which missions he may spend the most time preparing for, and which missions he may be forced to initiate prematurely.

The final main mission, of course, is to infiltrate Shinra Headquarters and assassinate Link. The destination is known, but the journey to get there is vast undertaking, and there are a variety of unique ways to accomplish Snake's goals. Depending on your decisions, Snake may enter Shinra Headquarters in October or December, as either a sinner or a saint, attacking openly with dozens of allies or forced to endure alone. The choices are yours.


	8. Instruction Manual: Sidequests

**_Instruction Manual_**

**Part E**

**Operation Philanthropy: Sidequests and Morality**

While the main missions are vitally important to ensure narrative progression, most missions that Snake embarks upon will be sidequests that are _not necessary_ to complete to advance the storyline. Building a dependable series of social links and establishing an identity for Operation Philanthropy as an organization requires investments of time and effort into activities in Termina that may have little to do with Link's corrupt reign. Snake's own moral compass and the choices made by readers on his behalf will influence what sidequests will be available for which factions. Furthermore, even if Snake agrees to embark upon a sidequest, he will almost always be given the opportunity to betray the faction he's presumably working for or adopt objectives outside the faction's goals.

Sidequests can basically be defined as smaller, self-contained missions. From a practical perspective, they operate similarly to main missions, with single chapters broken into several smaller segments. There's still the threat of failure or injury, and death remains a possibility, though the chances of Snake actually dying are slim compared to the chances of death in main missions. Most sidequests do not directly invoke conflict with Link's Administration, the TAF or the TIA, which lessens the probability of causalities. Regardless, nearly every sidequest introduces the possibility of open combat, so the rewards must always be measured against the risk.

A sidequest is usually initiated by a request for Snake's assistance in accomplishing a task. The benefits from a completed sidequest can be substantial. Most sidequests are completed for individuals with whom Snake can maintain social links, and successful completion of a sidequest can dramatically strengthen the bonds between Snake and his allies. Sidequests completed for the benefit of factions may increase Snake's reputation with the faction, develop new social link opportunities, and enable the pursuit of future missions. Even _failed_ sidequests can potentially result in minor social link boosts, so long as the failure does not result in Snake's death or the death of allies (the boost would certainly be greater if the mention succeeds.) Finally, Snake's actions in sidequests tend to have the greatest possible impact on his **Morality**, and his code of ethical behavior may gradually shift depending on the types of sidequests he chooses to partake in and the factions he allies with or fights against.

There's much more to say regarding the Morality System, but let's establish the practical details first.

The methodology for recruiting allies for sidequests operates slightly differently than with main missions. Any Operation Philanthropy member (social link 3+) will _automatically_ accept Snake's invitation to join a main mission assignment, but when it comes to sidequests, the participation of certain operation Philanthropy members cannot be guaranteed. Snake must actively recruit potential allies to assist in sidequests. Even fiercely loyal Operation Philanthropy members may view Snake's sidequest as unnecessary, and Snake may need to convince allies of its relevance to their cause. The morality of Snake's _allies_ is one potential factor here. Some virtuous characters may object to joining any sketchy sidequest on ethical grounds, while characters interested in profit or personal gain may object to risking their lives just to accomplish good deeds. Furthermore, the _former allegiance _of Operation Philanthropy members may play a role. A close friend who was once a member of a particular organization may oppose any requests to actively participate in a sidequest that would endanger that organization.

The only exception to the above rules involves **Level Five** social and romantic links. Once a character's bond with Snake reaches its maximum potential level **(see Part H for more details) **that character will never reject _any_ request from Snake to assist in any sidequest.

Once Operation Philanthropy reaches a sufficient size, Snake can eventually send allies into the field to complete sidequests for him. Doing so is a tradeoff; the possibility of injury, failure, and even death among characters participating in that sidequest increases without Snake's active participation, _but _readers can accomplish other tasks by controlling Snake's actions while the sidequest is completed, and Snake's own health would not be in danger. Decisions to send another team to complete a sidequest requires a few conditions to be met. Snake will be prompted to make decisions regarding sidequests every morning that a sidequest opportunity is available. The team assigned to complete the sidequest must be led by a character possessing a social link of **Level Four or higher. **Certain sidequests may require a certain number of additional Operation Philanthropy members to be sent.

If a separate team is sent to complete the sidequest, readers will _not _have the opportunity to vote on decisions or read developments regarding the progression of the mission, as they will be limited to following Snake's personal perspective. Subsequently, the success or failure of such a sidequest and the injuries, imprisonments, or deaths resulting are left to fate, typically decided in the form of dice rolls. The dice rolls are influenced by a few factors, most notably the number of characters Snake sends, the loyalty of those characters, and the particular abilities and talents of those characters. Most sidequests benefit when more characters are sent, but a few operations are better managed by smaller strike teams.

If Snake participates in the sidequest, the narrative follows the sidequest to its completion and the readers are actively given choices to make that influence its outcomes. This eliminates luck from the equation, but introduces the possibility of errors in the judgment of readers leading to poor results. After a sidequest would result in a definite outcome, Snake would automatically return to his daily routine after a period of rest, and the storyline would progress with regular chapters.

As a final matter, it's worth noting that opportunities for sidequests do not _always _stem from allies. Unaffiliated factions and even opposing factions could offer Snake sidequests. Sidequests could even theoretically come from officials working for Link's Administration. Many of these sidequests may seem appealing, but it's vital to remember that some sidequests, even sidequests presumably initiated by allies, may be **traps. **While most potential sidequests (even those offered by strangers or untrustworthy individuals) will be completely legitimate endeavors, at least a few will be hoaxes with negative consequences.

**THE MORALITY SYSTEM: **

There are four tiers of morality which Solid Snake may ascribe to, although one of these tiers is extraordinarily unlikely for Snake to reach and would require a massive shift in personality for Snake to acquire.

The morality system in Legend of Snake is largely 'behind the scenes.' Unlike in most modern RPGs, morality is not actively displayed, and readers are not actively told exactly which tier Snake resides in at any particular moment. Nonetheless, a careful reading of the chapters will likely reveal Snake's thought processes in accepting or rejecting sidequests and internally rationalizing and justifying the decisions made by readers. It should be fairly obvious to determine which tier Snake resides in. In turn, Snake's approach to ethical conundrums influences the _reputation _of Operation Philanthropy. Certain factions and certain individuals will either gravitate towards Snake or away from him based on their perception of his values and beliefs.

Many factors influence morality, including decisions made during main missions, the social links Snake chooses to develop, and even the attitude(s) and reputation(s) of his lover(s). However, no single element influences Snake's morality more than the decisions he makes during sidequests. As sidequests are purely optional endeavors that impact Snake's relations with factions, Snake's choices will influence others' perceptions of him and even his own perceptions of his ethical standards.

Like Shepard in Mass Effect, Snake's general predisposition towards an honorable lifestyle _generally _influences the Morality System. For the most part, the variables are not between 'good' and 'evil' but between an 'idealistic' and a 'pragmatic' approach to achieving benevolent results.

**Humanitarian Diplomat **_(Tier Two)_

Tier Two is Snake's starting morality level and it is his predisposed inclination when the story begins. It represents a 'balanced' approach to achieving Operation Philanthropy goals that attempts to preserve a hopeful and compassionate interpretation of the mission parameters while simultaneously maintaining an ability to interact and negotiate with less benevolent individuals.

At its best, the Humanitarian Diplomat could be described as a tier of morality that is the most flexible. Snake retains the ability to morally justify his actions in a way that appeals to liberals, revolutionaries, and honorable individuals pursuing social justice. However, he also maintains an ability to occasionally logically justify alliances with less scrupulous individuals, particularly if Snake is convinced these individuals could reform themselves or if he believes their negative influence or impact on Operation Philanthropy can be contained. Moral values remain important enough to Snake to provide a cohesive vision that appeals to those repressed under Link's treacherous rule, but Snake can effectively negotiate as a diplomat between those who are more righteous than him and those who are more self-interested.

At its worst, the Humanitarian Diplomat could be described as a tier of morality that is insincere, half-hearted, and frustratingly noncommittal. Critics may argue that Operation Philanthropy effectively is accessible to everyone at the cost of _standing for nothing. _Furthermore, Operation Philanthropy does not completely satisfy the honorable revolutionaries _or_ the avaricious individualists. Snake's attempts of diplomacy can be interpreted as a sign of weakness or inconsistency. Adherents of paragon and renegade mentalities will each view Snake as imperfect or flawed.

In a sense, this version of Snake sacrifices depth for breadth. It is a vision of Operation Philanthropy that is honorable and just, _to an extent and with caveats. _If Snake were to continue following this philosophy, he would generally work for principled factions but would temper his idealism with an understanding that a goal of uniting every downtrodden and good-hearted person was unrealistic. He would likely seek to convince a few talented and likable individuals from differing factions to join his cause, and while the group would mostly be comprised of honorable protagonists, he would occasionally incorporate a well-connected thief, ruffian or thug into a group if given a proper or logical justification to do so.

**Resolute Champion **_(Tier One) _

A sufficient number of decisions and quests undertaken by Snake with idealistic, far-reaching and virtuous goals will elevate Snake into the highest zenith of moral and ethical responsibility. This represents a 'hardcore' approach in establishing Operation Philanthropy as an organization not only opposed to Link as an individual, but one opposed to the philosophical concept of authoritarian tyranny. The Resolute Champion gravitates towards the _right _decision despite its consequences, and attracts like-minded volunteers and agents of institutional change.

At its best, the Resolute Champion could be described as a tier of morality that leads to the best possible outcome for the people of Gaia as a whole, and that gives Operation Philanthropy the most credibility in its opposition against Link. Snake's uncompromisable, black-and-white approach to ethical decision-making would attract the highest quality caliber of allies. What Snake might lose in breadth, he would gain in the depth of his friendships and relationships. The types of individuals attracted to join Resolute Champions would be the least likely to betray Snake's trust, and the most likely to develop unassailable Level Five social and romantic links. Snake's moral legitimacy could not be questioned, and his commitment to chivalry and integrity would represent psychological hurdles to those opposing him.

At its worst, the Resolute Champion could be seen as the tier of morality incorporating the most risks of failure, and risking the actual chances of success of Operation Philanthropy in exchange for mere intangible moral authority. This approach to decision-making would prevent Snake from considering alliances with unscrupulous individuals in positions of power or authority. Readers may not even be given choices to make certain 'immoral' decisions that might lead to preferable narrative outcomes. Without the opportunity to develop friendships and relationships with many high-ranking Link Administration officials or members of crime syndicates, Snake could lack the connections to realistically achieve goals. Operation Philanthropy's emphasis on justice and equality would attract negative attention faster, leading to heightened security as Link would be increasingly motivated to shut down the upstart revolutionaries.

**Cerebral Manager **_(Tier Three) _

A sufficient number of decisions made by Snake with morally imperfect individuals in order to achieve realistic, pragmatic and self-centered goals will lead to the devaluation of morality as a consideration in Snake's mind. Despite an increasing association with thugs, outlaws, mafiosos and capitalists, this interpretation of Snake would not be a sinister or malevolent one. Snake would remain a protagonist and he would remain committed to the objectives of Operation Philanthropy. However, to justify a shift in viewpoint, Snake would no longer rely upon justifications of moral legitimacy to support his cause. In its place, Snake would rely upon a thoroughly logical and calculate series of analyses. As a brilliant intellectual operative possessing an IQ of 180, asking Snake to revert to an emotionally detached and pragmatic viewpoint would not be difficult; he once believed in such an approach when he served in Shadow Moses.

At its best, the Cerebral Manager could be described as a tier of morality that leads to the best possible mission outcomes and that ensures Snake's continued survival. Snake would increasingly view his leadership role as if he was the manager of a corporation. He would consistently make the most sensible decisions and would gladly sacrifice moral legitimacy if the ends justified the means. This approach would enable Snake to truly appreciate the world in its various shades of grey. Snake would remain a generally decent individual but would deal dispassionately in transactions with whoever provided him the best possible opportunities to administer punishing defeats to Link's forces. He would view the struggle against Link's tyranny as if he was playing a game of chess, and make superior moves to reduce risks and save precious time. A few more noble individuals with similar logical outlooks would accept Snake's imperfections if it meant defeating Link, and many nefarious and self-interested individuals would find Snake's tactical brilliance an attractive investment.

At its worst, the Cerebral Manager could be described as a tier of morality that would detach Snake from others with similar goals and aspirations, leading to less opportunities to develop meaningful social and romantic links, and ensuring that those links were more difficult to progress. A slightly easier path to achieve end goals may not be worth the sacrifice if it effectively limits Snake's abilities to befriend those ideologically opposed to making frequent deals with thugs, ruffians, or scoundrels. Few kindhearted revolutionaries would feel compelled to join an organization that is only marginally and ambiguously ethical. Snake's approach to solving problems may appear increasingly introverted, methodical and robotic. Furthermore, Snake's strongest social links would likely develop with individuals most likely to betray his trust or abandon Operation Philanthropy. Finally, Snake may drift precariously close to falling into the _fourth _tier of morality, where the consequences become much more dire.

**Slimy Snake **_(Tier Four) _

As a preliminary matter, it's worth noting that the odds of Snake falling into this tier of morality are extraordinarily slim. This is largely because Snake's entire canonical persona stands wholly against the nefarious principles embodied by 'Slimy Snake.' To fall into this role, Snake must make a prolonged, systemic series of decisions that are so overtly sinister that they were utterly illogical and indefensible. High level social links would have to be developed with a number of powerful individuals with abominable reputations. Even then, it would likely take several months of a continued descent into darkness to reach this tier.

Slimy Snake sounds fun conceptually, and this persona does actually introduce a couple of intriguing advantages. First and foremost, Slimy Snake can befriend a number of individuals who simply would be inaccessible if Snake were in any other tier. This includes a number of high-ranking Link Administration officials, several of the most powerful and destructive forces of physical and magical prowess in Termina, and a few delightfully less-than-sane antagonists. Slimy Snake would also introduce some unique and unexpected narrative twists. Readers will likely be shocked by an interpretation of Solid Snake they've rarely (if ever) seen before, and Snake's newfound egocentric and manically devious reasons for overthrowing Link would incorporate overthrowing one tyrannical despot to replace him with another through sheer, unadulterated power.

However, there are numerous crippling weaknesses that would threaten to undermine Slimy Snake. First, Slimy Snake cannot betray the values of Operation Philanthropy and maintain his current support links with Otacon and Phoenix. A descent into this tier would destroy these critical friendships. Furthermore, a sizable majority of the social and romantic links conceptually available would be incompatible with this interpretation of Snake. Many opportunities for social and romantic links would be eliminated. In fact, many individuals that were once likely to join Operation Philanthropy could even join a new revolutionary movement that would battle both Link and Snake's adherents.

This conceptualization of Snake hypothetically _exists, _but its probability is so rare that I feel comfortable in planning little for it. Even readers who _intentionally _attempted to sabotage Snake's development and pull him in this direction would likely fail; the odds are just utterly against even temporary indiscretions leading to such an outcome.


	9. Instruction Manual: Security Levels

**_Instruction Manual_**

**Part F**

**Operation Philanthropy: Security Threat Levels**

Snake cannot expect to remain completely undetected by the authorities serving Link. Fortunately, one way Snake can accurately gauge the notoriety Operation Philanthropy has acquired simply involves monitoring reports from media outlets. Furthermore, Otacon and Phoenix will always be happy to keep Snake up to date from their secure location in a bunker in Kalm.

The Turks Intelligence Agency (TIA) keeps the citizens of Termina informed of national security threats by a series of colored levels. Understanding these 'threat level codes' and their implications is essential.

Here is a synopsis of Termina's color-coded threat levels:

**Green:** _No threats detected._

Under Code Green circumstances, soldiers in Termina operate under an assumption of normalcy. Knowledge of Operation Philanthropy and its actions is virtually nonexistent. Under Code Green, Termina soldiers are predisposed to interpret any slight discrepancy as a personal error in judgment. To garner the attention of enemy combatants affiliated with Link's regime, Snake would literally have to stand in front of the soldier and shout obscenities (or start shooting bullets) to garner their attention.

So long as Snake remains in the Sector Seven Slums, Termina's threat detection level will remain at a default setting of Code Green. Subsequently, the national security threat level _will not even be actively monitored _in the course of the storyline until Solid Snake advances into another sector of the underworld.

**Yellow:** _Take caution._

Under Code Yellow circumstances, soldiers are mildly aware as to the mere existence of a renegade group of outlaws mucking around and causing minor discontent. However, the general interpretation is that these hooligans are something akin to rebellious teenagers and riotous anarchists desperate for attention. Soldiers in Code Yellow circumstances are more likely to investigate and account for noted discrepancies. It will be more difficult to fool these soldiers. Once Snake is identified as a hostile combatant, he will face an evolving degree of opposition from Termina forces. Nonetheless, there's no state of fervent paranoia just yet, so most soldiers will still assume a strange noise was just a random happenstance.

While Code Yellow circumstances result in more difficult mission parameters for Snake and his allies, soldiers will initially assume the group has an affiliation with Avalanche dissidents and will not interpret Operation Philanthropy to have its own unique identity until the threat level reaches code orange _at least once._ After Operation Philantrophy receives a certain degree of inevitable exposure and notoriety, the TIA threat level will default to Code Yellow, and Code Green will remain just an old, elusive memory.

**Orange:** _Extreme caution; basic security measures enacted._

Under Code Orange circumstances, Link's Administration and his soldiers will finally take the threat of Operation Philanthropy seriously. Heightened security measures will result in increased scrutiny and observation, even as Snake tends to his daily life. These actions will be taken by Termina proactively, so Snake will face potential opposition even outside the context of designated missions and sidequests. At Code Orange levels, it can be assumed that Link is actively hiring bounty hunters, assassins, and spies to root out Operation Philanthropy members. Soldiers will actively patrol routes and eagerly pursue leads to nab 'David,' the publicized 'terrorist mastermind.' The populace is generally on edge, many under the assumption that Operation Philanthropy is an atrocious, bloodthirsty terrorist network.

Code Orange is the highest possible threat level attainable so long as Snake and his allies are present in the underworld and have not yet reached civilization above the plates. There will come a point late in the story when the TIA threat level will default to Code Orange. This will present a formidable challenge to Snake and his allies.

**Red:** _Martial Law; extreme security measures enacted._

Code Red has disastrous implications for Snake and his allies in Operation Philanthropy, yet the successful completion of most late-game missions will almost inevitably result in its imposition. While Code Red results in the institution of frightening security measures, it is a temporary circumstance, lasting anywhere between a few days to a week in duration after a major terrorist incident. (Examples of such an incident would include the destruction of a mako reactor, the destruction of the Mako Cannon, executing a high-ranking Link Administration official, taking control of a single Termina township, or leading forces to the doorstep of Shinra headquarters.)

Once the TIA declares Code Red, the General in charge of the TAF (most likely General Mario) will _declare Termina his bitch _and stop at nothing to kill or capture every last known Operation Philanthropy member. Carnage and mayhem will be deployed wantonly and haphazardly throughout the city in the form of tanks, mechs, ninjas, robotic assassins, helicopters, biological and chemical weapons, and monsters.

Despite the overwhelming logistical penalties of a high threat level, such a predicament could actually _benefit_ Snake and Operation Philanthropy in several ways. First, in regards to acquiring social links, as Operation Philanthropy succeeds and grows into a legitimate organization, characters who otherwise would not consider the possibility of joining a revolutionary movement may find themselves drawn to the cause. Furthermore, the heightened paranoia and substantial duress these threat levels cause Snake's allies may wear on their mental agility, but the high stress simultaneously _helps _endear Snake to them; higher-level social links will have an easier time reaching Level Four and Level Five when everyone is fearing for their lives. As their lives are endangered, allies will realize that their only hope for survival is in full and implicit trust in each other. Finally, as Operation Philanthropy is increasingly successful and infamous throughout Termina, certain Link Administration officials and other powerful officials may actually consider the possibility of defecting if they seriously believe there is even the slightest possibility that Snake and his allies could win the war.

To be blunt, these benefits probably do not outweigh the costs of a high security level. Snake should generally avoid taking obvious combat actions that result in higher threat levels, particularly outside the context of missions or sidequests. Once threat levels _do_ rise, it's generally a good idea to avoid committing to any frivolous sidequests until after the threat levels die down.

Finally, there is an undeniably valuable advantage to the potentiality of Snake befriending a high-ranking TAF or TIA officer with secret revolutionary sympathies. If a sufficient social link with such an official is established, the officer could manipulate the system to ensure that the TIA threat level remained _artificially low_ for a limited time. The benefits of such an opportunity should be obvious and intuitive to discern.


	10. Instruction Manual: Equipment

**_Instruction Manual_**

**Part G**

**Equipment, Gil and Weaponry**

_Author's Note:_ When The Legend of Snake was originally created, I envisioned a system for monitoring Snake's procurement of equipment and his monetary possessions.

I've since eliminated this. As I'm sure many of you have already noted, the social links component of the storyline is complicated enough already. Adding the requirement of constantly monitoring and updating gil and equipment would be an overwhelming burden. Various equipment can still be procured at markets and the narrative itself will make occasional mention as to Snake's monetary capabilities (or lack thereof), but the story will not include any separate reminders as to the specific equipment or the money Snake possesses.

Instead, you will be reminded of the equipment Snake can choose from when you are asked to vote on choices. Purchasing Purchasing items at a marketplace may come in handy in a future decision tree, and during the course of missions and sidequests Snake will often 'take stock' of what weapons and armor he can choose from. (Like in Metal Gear Solid, Snake will consistently have access to any item of equipment he's purchased, no matter how unrealistic it may seem to presume that he's carried the items with him.)

The _one and only_ exception to this rule regards weaponry. You will be continuously updated as to the weapons that Snake has with him. Unlike most other equipment, it's fairly important to know in advance exactly what options Snake can choose from regarding the application of force against opponents, as Snake's available weapons should influence decisions to pursue certain missions or sidequests.


	11. Instruction Manual: Social Links

**_Instruction Manual_**

**Part H**

**Social Links Dissected **

_"Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends."_ _~ The Beatles_

Solid Snake. FOXHOUND's most coveted espionage operative. The hero who made the impossible _possible_ in Zanzibar and Shadow Moses. The man who infiltrated alone, with only minimal support over codec frequencies. The mythological figure who defended the people of Midgar against terrorist threats in every corner of the globe.

Even he would stand no chance against President Link, the most powerful being on this planet.

Link's Administration in Termina is no mere terrorist organization. The elf in his ivory tower commands the entirety of Gaia's remaining armed forces. He has reshaped the legal system of an entire country to fit his whims. His propaganda has infected the minds of the greatest politicians, police officers, warriors, and poets. The masses of humanity who reside atop Termina's monolithic plates view Link as a demigod, a savior, and a champion. Only a precious few have resisted the lies propagated by an entire _system_ that has sustained a regime of corruption and malaise.

If Snake were to attempt Operation Philanthropy alone, he would surely fail. Getting to Link would require toppling entire bureaucracies, challenging an entire government, and enduring a brutal series of gruesome ordeals. Bounty hunters, assassins, mafiosos, noblemen, TIA secret agents, officers in the Termina Armed Forces, and legions of soldiers are all likely to oppose Snake's ambitions.

To survive these tribulations, Snake must confront his single most glaring weakness.

Snake will have to make _friends._

And lots of them.

Snake may be a friendly and affable guy (once you really get to know him,) but his intense combat training in FOXHOUND did not include courses in handling basic social interaction. Snake may have the analytical mind of a talented leader, but he sorely lacks the grace and the charisma necessary to fill such a role. Most acquaintances might find his gruff, matter-of-fact attitude rather off-putting. Furthermore, Snake is nothing if not extraordinarily cynical. His past experiences in 'relationships' have left him fairly bitter, and past incidents with FOXHOUND officers like Colonel Campbell have left him somewhat distrustful of strangers.

A mission that involves killing the 'beloved leader' of a country only further complicates matters. Many of the people Snake will interact with during the course of Operation Philanthropy would acknowledge Termina's dire straits, yet refuse to believe that Link deserved any blame for 'the way things are.' As Snake advances from district to district, he will only find it more difficult to convince residents of Link's wrongdoings.

Snake's friendships are tabulated by a system of **'Social Links.'** Once a meaningful friendship starts to develop between Snake and another person, a social link will begin its course. Social links are quantitatively measured by five 'levels' of friendship. As Snake progresses in developing stable, caring friendships with others, his social links will increase in depth and value, or 'level up.' Each level of any given social link represents a unique threshold of intimacy. Thus, any given level two social link offers very tangible additional benefits compared to any given level one social link. A level three social link indicates a particularly significant accomplishment, in which this friend will begin to forsake his or her allegiances to other organizations and claim membership in Operation Philanthropy.

Generally speaking, it's important to acquire as many level three social links as possible before investing into a main mission that leads Snake into a neighboring district. Lower level social links will _automatically dissipate_ if Snake abandons them prematurely, as these characters are not loyal enough to follow Snake to a new location.

A level five social link represents the closest kind of intimate fellowship Snake can possibly attain with any follower. Level five friendships require a substantial investment, but they carry spectacular rewards.

Generally speaking, a 'high risk, high reward' character will require a greater degree of an investment in time and effort than a 'low risk, low reward' character. What kinds of factors influence exactly how much effort Snake must invest to develop a friendship?

_Here's a comprehensive list. _

**i) Power:**

The more power a given character wields in the city-state of Termina, the more difficult it will be to convince said character to join a revolutionary effort like Operation Philanthropy. Characters in comfortable positions of authority will be less likely to forsake their possessions, their reputations and their established status quo to pursue a 'greater' objective or indulge in senseless risks. Though these characters are strenuous and time-consuming challenges to convert, once they become Operation Philanthropy members, their extensive power can be used to assist Snake.

**ii) Connections to Link's Administration:**

Characters who are well connected to Link's corrupt regime are much more likely to believe Link's propaganda and less likely to believe that Link is capable of any wrongdoing. They'll often present the greatest challenges for Snake to befriend, as even multiple interactions may not ensure the development of a social link. (Especially if these interactions begin with Snake and the character as opponents on a battlefield.) Nonetheless, a string of correct choices can lead to friendships with Operation Philanthropy members that possess insider's information of Link's activities. These can represent the very kinds of allies to attain.

**iii) Rivalries:**

Snake's perceived affiliation with certain tribes, sects, and organizations in any given district will impact his ability to recruit individuals within those groups and in rival enterprises. Generally speaking, the closer Snake ingratiates himself or Operation Philanthropy as a whole with any third-party group, the easier it will be to recruit members within that group...and, the more difficult it will be to befriend members in rival establishments. These kinds of penalties can be eliminated if the source of conflict between the factions ceases to exist.

**iv) History:**

Some characters actually have a background of prior interactions with Snake, Otacon, or Phoenix and are thus predisposed to either a positive or a negative opinion of Operation Philanthropy. Other characters may not know Snake personally, but may have some familiarity of FOXHOUND and may come to conclusions of Snake based on their past experiences with the organization. Alternatively, characters may have a personal knowledge of Link or other officials in his regime that may incline them to look favorably or unfavorably on anyone who dares to oppose his rule. Finally, some characters may have an opinion of the last unsuccessful revolutionary attempt (Avalanche) that colors their perception of Operation Philanthropy. Some former Avalanche members will be eager to join a second attempt to overthrow Link and will actively pursue Snake's friendship, while other former Avalanche members will be cynical and may initially refuse to join another 'lost cause.'

**v) Sociability:**

This category can be separated into general categorizations of 'introverts' and 'extroverts.' Befriending extroverts is typically the easier task at first, and the first few levels of a social link will progress quickly. Developing a more intimate relationship at higher levels, however, will prove challenging with many extroverts who prefer a casual degree of acquaintanceship. On the flip side, developing initial level one and two social links with introverts can be a puzzling challenge. Introverts will usually have more difficulty trusting Snake and they may possess baggage that limits their initial commitment to Snake's causes. Once an introvert begins to feel comfortable and develops a decent friendship with Snake, however, deepening their relationship can prove less demanding and more straightforward. Introverts will tend to seek fewer but closer and more meaningful friendships.

It's worth noting that not every character fits into this paradigm; a small number of extroverts will _never_ become more challenging at higher levels, whereas a certain minority of introverts will remain cold, distant, and arduous to develop social links with.

**vi) Temperament:**

Just as I separate characters into 'introverts' and 'extroverts' by judging their sociability, I also separate them into 'passive' and 'aggressive' categorizations by judging their temperament. Snake's friendships with 'passive' characters will have different progression triggers than his friendships 'aggressive' characters. Aggressive characters will prefer action over words. Completing sidequests that assist this character's objectives, proving Snake's abilities in combat situations, and taking legitimate action against mutual enemies will make the strongest impression on these characters. By contrast, passive characters will feel more satisfied when exchanging dialogue, sharing feelings, and getting to know Snake through mundane interactions.

_So, that's essentially it:_ the dominant factors that determine the relative ease (or lack thereof) in developing a particular social link. So how does it actually work in practice? How is the relative weight or merit of decisions determined in order to determine when and how a social link develops?

The answer is that social link progression is determined on a **points system** that effectively assigns a corresponding number to every social-link advancing decision that you make. Choices that simply have no impact on any social link (such as actions chosen to procure information, purchase new equipment, advance the main storyline, or spend time alone) simply have no social link points attached. Certain decisions might benefit a given social link to varying degrees. One option might advance a social link _a little,_ but an alternative option proffered could advance that link _a lot. _Sometimes, a decision you make will develop multiple social links at once, but do so less efficiently than concentrating specifically on one person.

_Here's a succinct summation of the total "points" needed to advance:_

**TO ACQUIRE A LEVEL ONE SOCIAL LINK:** 3 points.

**TO ACQUIRE A LEVEL TWO SOCIAL LINK:** 10 points (total.)

**TO ACQUIRE A LEVEL THREE SOCIAL LINK:** 25 points (total.)

**TO ACQUIRE A LEVEL FOUR SOCIAL LINK:** 50 points (total.)

**TO ACQUIRE A LEVEL FIVE SOCIAL LINK:** 70 points (total.)

The total number of 'social link points' required to 'level up' is the same for any given social link. Regardless of how sociable or antisocial a character is, the same number of points will lead to progression. The difference lies in the _number of points_ Snake gains from successful interactions. A decision to merely _speak _with one character may over three points in value (and thus, sufficient to establish a level one link.) A similar decision may lead to _only a one point gain _with a character that is more difficult to befriend.

While the point differentials between levels seem to advance quite rapidly, it's worth noting that the further a friendship develops, the more likely Snake will have the chance to make 'high-point' choices with high yields.

_Any_ positive decision that enhances a social link will net you 'points,' but the six factors mentioned above influence the number of points you earn. So, you could choose to just have a series of quiet conversations with a prototypically aggressive character, and you'd still gain _some_ points. You're just gaining less than you would if you chose to engage in a few risky sidequests with him.

So, now that I've covered some of the passive, behind-the-scenes calculations that are responsible for determining _how_ social links advance, let's dissect exactly what each level of friendship looks like.

**LEVEL ONE:** "This recent acquaintance is just starting to become acquainted with Snake. You can't trust this person to do much for you, but so far, they admire Snake enough to speak with him on friendly terms and offer him advice. They probably don't know the details of Snake's mission and some might even turn hostile if Snake tells them the entire truth too soon."

_**LEVEL ONE DISSECTED:** _

Level one social links _do not _immediately develop with every character Snake happens to meet. Obviously, antagonistic (hostile) characters will not develop social links with Snake the first several times their paths cross. Even friendly characters may require multiple unique interactions before a level one link is attained.

Level one links require the beginnings of a budding friendship. Such an acquaintance has to like Snake enough to instantly recognize him, occasionally seek him out, and generally consider him desirable company. The vast majority of level one links will know Snake as 'David' and are likely to remain in the dark regarding the details of Snake's true identity and Operation Philanthropy.

Level one links are _not_ dependable, self-sustaining friendships. Several characters with ulterior motives will gladly develop level one links with Snake while concealing their true motivations and the possibility of future betrayal. Furthermore, neglecting a level one social link for a lengthy period of time (at least one week, more often two or more) will _dissolve the link_ entirely. Snake will generally want to keep in touch with these links unless voters are uninterested in progressing certain friendships.

Level one social links _cannot_ be recruited for main missions. Snake simply won't trust them enough to grant them the opportunity. However, level one social links _are_ often eager and able to participate in sidequests. At this early stage of friendship, these links will only participate in sidequests that actively advance their own personal goals, or the goals of the organization they've sworn loyalty to. They will not help Snake just for his own sake. Many level one links will offer Snake opportunities to participate in their own sidequests, which will be advertised to Snake if they'd consider him a worthy partner.

**LEVEL TWO:** "A stronger friendship is developing between Snake and this character. Snake will be able to trust this individual to keep deeper and more meaningful secrets from the enemy. At this juncture, it's generally assumed that the character knows at least the basics of Snake's mission and his goals. He or she likely tacitly approves of the objective to undermine Link, though their willingness to take aggressive action on behalf of Snake or Operation Philanthropy may vary."

_**LEVEL TWO DISSECTED:**_

A level two social link is usually facilitated by a greater degree of trust between Snake and the character he's befriending. The acquirement of a level two link often corresponds with the sharing of a few minor details. Snake may reveal his true codename, the basics of his past adventures, or his true feelings regarding the foul stench of corruption underlying Link's Administration. The exact information exchanged is unique, and varies on a case-by-case, character-by-character basis.

Often, characters at this stage may be mildly aware of the existence of Operation Philanthropy, but they may not know the specifics. For example, some level two social links may not know that Snake actually intends to _kill_ Link, and may perceive him as a nonviolent political agitator. Others may perceive Snake as a terrorist, but may be unaware of the impending doomsday scenario that will occur if Link is not stopped at all costs. Level Two links are at least aware that Snake intends systemic change (the precise nature of this systemic change is often tied to Snake's morality.)

Given that a level two social link requires exchanging crucial snippets of information, the development of such a link does represent a minor risk. Any leaked details could prove damaging in the hands of a potential turncoat. In this sense, level two links can actually be more burdensome than their level one counterparts, as mere acquaintances are less likely to hurt Snake's efforts than closer friends.

Why develop these links in the first place, then? Level two links constitute a necessary transitional period in the development of stronger, more sustainable and enduring alliances. This represents _the most vulnerable time _in Snake's relationship with a character, when Snake has to trust this person more than he'd prefer, and when Snake must entice a deeper friendship by giving friends more than he receives from them. In truth, the largest 'benefit' in a level two friendship is simply the hope of progressing closer to acquiring their lucrative level three allegiance as an Operation Philanthropy devotee.

A few additional minor benefits to level two links do exist. Level two friends are _slightly _more likely to participate and assist Snake in sidequests when asked, particularly when the objectives of the sidequest may not directly benefit the aspirations of the character in question. Still, the odds must generally favor that character's survival and the quest's success in order to ensure their participation. Snake can also attempt to recruit a level two friend to assist in a main mission, though it's often preferable to avoid relying primarily on level two links in such endeavors.

Generally speaking, level two friends will actively refer to Snake as "a friend," as opposed to "an acquaintance." They may trust Snake with secrets of their own, or reveal substantial information regarding their histories to him. This begins to open new paths for additional sidequests. If Snake makes proper, sensitive choices or invests time into completing tasks related to this friendship, he'll witness a tangible maturation in their rapport.

**LEVEL THREE:** "This character now considers him or herself a full-time Philanthropy member. The full nature of Snake's revolutionary goals has been revealed, and the person in question certainly seems to agree with the necessity of Snake's mission. He or she will actively assist Snake in any non-combat situation when their participation is requested. Their participation in combat situations is not guaranteed, but very likely unless the odds are definitely against Snake or the mission parameters directly oppose their personal ideals. At level three, a couple lingering doubts or trust issues may linger between Snake and his friend, but the two are generally intimate enough to feel comfortable working together."

_**LEVEL THREE DISSECTED:**_

A level three social link represents a fundamental landmark in the context of Snake's association with a particular character. Usually, a level three social link is preceded by a conversation (sometimes seen, sometimes unseen and assumed) in which Snake reveals all the basic information regarding Operation Philanthropy and requests this character's future assistance and commitment to the cause. Once a level three link is formally established, the person joins Snake as an ally and a full-time, committed Philanthropy member. The character will move from sector to sector alongside Snake as he progresses, and will temporarily abandon other allegiances until Link is brought to justice.

Unfortunately, there are still potential setbacks with a level three friendship that could result in an erosion of the character's fealty to Snake. A betrayal from a level three character is possible, and its ramifications would be _devastating._ It's very important to keep level three characters invested in daily activities and content with their lifestyles as Philanthropy members. If Snake fails to ensure their inclusion in the broader context of the group, the consequences can be monstrous.

At level three, characters will willingly participate in any main mission quest that Snake requests their help in. Snake can also send level three characters out as 'followers' on independent missions led by other higher-ranking Operation Philanthropy members. If Snake completes a main mission quest and relocates to another district, and this character is 'left behind,' a level three (or above) character will attempt to rejoin Operation Philanthropy in its new locale. (Their success or failure will be determined on a daily basis every 'morning,' with rolls of the dice determining who joins when. The odds of a successful rendezvous steadily increase over time, but characters may also be injured or fall ill during the attempt.)

As previously noted, level three friends may not participate in specific combat situations, most notably in main missions and sidequests. Their willing participation in the quests themselves can be assumed, but if a heavy firefight breaks out, the character may panic, surrender or flee. This is more likely with battle-averse characters, as well as when the odds are clearly against Snake's forces. Additionally, while a level three friend would never decline a main mission outright, such characters may decline opportunities to join sidequests that directly oppose their interests or the interests of those they love. Snake can attempt to coerce their participation, but doing so may have consequences.

Level three social links may betray Snake and Operation Philanthropy. Each negative Snake makes a decision as a group leader that directly opposes the interests or the desires of the character in question will result in a die roll to determine the possibility of betrayal. Initially, the odds are very low (the first such die roll carries only a 1 in 12 risk of betrayal.) The odds progressively increase each time Snake continues to fall short of their expectations.

Each and every incidence that might result in a betrayal die roll requires a _direct stimulus _from readers' votes. In other words, no decision that Snake makes 'on his own' (without reader input) will result in the rolls. It's also worth noting that level three is the _only _level of social link progression in which the possibility of betrayal is determined by this formula. In earlier stages, betrayal is cast in definite terms: some decisions made by Snake _definitely _result in betrayals, whereas other decisions _absolutely _ensures loyalty. Despite the statistical possibility of betrayal, the likelihood that Snake's actions will result in level three characters 'turning traitor' is less than the odds of betrayal at earlier social link levels.

The benefits of a level three friendship are too advantageous to ignore. The more Operation Philanthropy teammates Snake can rely on, the greater the odds are of achieving success in missions in sidequests. These allies will grant Snake access to a growing list of traits, abilities, and powers to rely upon. Friends at this stage will share many secrets with Snake, leading to many high-level sidequests and similar opportunities. Level three friends travel with Snake or follow him to new locales, ensuring an absolutely necessary building block to Snake's revolutionary movement.

**LEVEL FOUR:** "This character will gladly fight in any combat situation as a seasoned Philanthropy member, with their commitment to the cause written in stone. Level four social link characters will concede defeat in certain hopeless situations and would not willingly make the ultimate sacrifice on Snake's behalf, but they are still dependable and fiercely loyal workhorses. They can even lead certain independent sidequest operations, even without Snake's direct support."

_**LEVEL FOUR DISSECTED:**_

Level four social links constitute an integral upgrade over their level three counterparts. The moment a level four friendship is achieved, the die are tossed aside, and the possibility of betrayal is completely eliminated. This is vitally important news, though this does require Snake to maintain the degree of their intimacy and ensure that their friendship does not regress.

The transition from a level three to a level four social link can be categorized as the progression from an Operation Philanthropy_ newcomer_ to an Operation Philanthropy _veteran. _These allies often participate in private meetings, and their friendship has progressed to such a point that they trust Snake implicitly. His or her loyalty to Operation Philanthropy is strong enough to override any past affiliations. As a result, these characters can now lead certain independent operations, and do not require Snake's direct supervision or participation to do so.

Unfortunately, level four friendships are _difficult _to acquire. They require a substantial commitment of time, energy and effort that could otherwise be invested elsewhere. Snake does not have a sufficient amount of time to ensure that every Operation Philanthropy ally reaches this stage, so he must choose his social priorities carefully. It is important for Snake to distinguish which characters _deserve _the investment, as some characters who aggressively pursue friendships with him may not be worth the expenditure.

Generally speaking, there are two kinds of 'ideal' characters to concentrate on advancing to level four friendships. 'Low-risk, 'low-yield' characters may require the least imaginable amount of effort or time to reach this milestone. It may be useful to promote a few to ensure the continued existence of spare operational leaders and confidants on call. These individuals also have the shortest trek to reaching level five, where their investment can pay off in the form of a sacrifice. There are also 'high-risk, high-yield' characters that require a stronger effort, but pay enormous dividends.

Level four characters will occasionally object to certain details in Snake's plans, but they will _never_ reject a request by Snake to join in any sidequest or main mission, no matter how contradictory its goals may seem to that character's former allegiances or objectives. These individuals are essentially deep and profoundly intimate friends who keep no secrets from Snake and who are willing to thoroughly commit themselves to Operation Philanthropy.

**LEVEL FIVE:** "A character who reaches the highest plateau of an intimate friendship with Snake will not only gladly die to promote the cause of Operation Philanthropy, he or she will also take a lethal blow for Snake if they are present when Snake's life is jeopardized. If readers make a series of mistakes that would otherwise lead to Snake's death, this character will sacrifice him or herself instead, and the story will continue without them. Needless to say, Level Five friendships are incredible, but they take an extraordinary degree of time, effort and attention to build."

_**LEVEL FIVE DISSECTED:**_

Level five friendships represent the epitome of platonic intimacy, and once you reach level five, there is absolutely _nothing_ Snake or anyone else can do to reverse the social link. Even a lengthy period of neglect would not eliminate the link, for the bond between Snake and his friend is now written in blood.

The major difference with level five friendships is these friends' ability to take a lethal blow on Snake's behalf. At this stage of friendship, the importance of Operation Philanthropy and Snake's continued mission supersedes the value of the character's own life and livelihood. The friend will subsequently make the ultimate sacrifice if he or she is called upon.

To do so, a level five friend must be available at the scene of Snake's portending death in order to initiate the sacrifice. Merely being in the 'general vicinity' of the action is insufficient. Subsequently, Snake benefits tremendously anytime a level five friend is by his side during missions and sidequests. During the course of the mission, a terrible decision otherwise resulting in Snake's death would be interrupted mid-sentence, and a choice would unexpectedly prompt readers to select which available level five link becomes a martyr.

(Note that the available choices only appear if multiple level five friends are present and able to complete the sacrifice. If only one eligible character is presented, that character automatically completes the necessary action. If multiple friends are present, readers must viciously debate among themselves as to who takes the lethal blow.)

Level five friends represent those who Snake can trust under any hypothetical circumstance. Most of them truly love Snake (perhaps platonically, perhaps stoically or begrudgingly, or perhaps in a one-sided crush.) Their trust in Snake is absolute and unwavering. These are the types of friends who would willingly throw themselves off a bridge if asked to. They will witness the brutal death of Link themselves, or they will die in the attempt of ensuring that Snake reaches the final chapter of the saga.


	12. Instruction Manual: Romantic Links

**_Instruction Manual_**

**Part J **

**Romantic Links Dissected **

_"I think at any time, any place...people can fall in love with each other." ~ Solid Snake_

Solid Snake. FOXHOUND's most coveted espionage operative. The hero who made the impossible possible, in Zanzibar and Shadow Moses. The man who infiltrated the most secretive military bases with only minimal support from contacts over codec frequencies. The mythological figure who defended the people of Midgar against terrorist threats in every corner of the globe. He was the prototypical shadow behind enemy lines, a purveyor of carnage and destruction. Such a solemn, experienced, and cynical warrior would inevitably be tempted to view love as a treacherous emotion, an unnecessary burden that would threaten the vitality of any given mission.

Yet, as Snake himself has said, love _can _bloom on a battlefield. And hidden underneath Solid Snake's gruff, detached exterior lies the surprisingly idealistic, compassionate, and philosophical heart of a true romantic. Though his true feelings often remain heavily guarded, it is undeniable that a part of Snake still yearns for an intimate connection. Whether he'll succeed in wooing the woman _(or women)_ of his dreams during the course of Operation Philanthropy will depend entirely on your decisions.

Romantic links in The Legend of Snake operate in a manner that is fundamentally similar to social links. In fact, women considered eligible for potential romantic links begin as regular social links through their first couple levels of interaction. Upon advancing to a **level three **social link, voters will be given the option to pursue a romantic link with an eligible woman. If he chooses to reject this opportunity, the duo will still remain friends and a high-level social link remains a strong possibility. There is no obligation for Snake to enter into a romantic relationship with anyone; if voters prefer Snake to remain single throughout the entirety of Operation Philanthropy, he can isolate himself from any chance of intimacy. Should Snake actively pursue and court women, voters will also have the opportunity to decide whether Snake should remain strictly monogamous, pursue an affair on the side, or indulge in polyamory. Finally, as noted later in this chapter, a choice by voters to have Snake pursue an _'eligible' _woman does not guarantee that she will reciprocate his feelings.

There are practical advantages and disadvantages to pursuing different approaches to romance. Strict monogamy with a single lover grants Snake the best chance of easily reaching a **level five romantic link** with his girlfriend. However, the risk with a strict monogamous approach is significant. If Snake's true love happens to perish, the impact of her loss will have a devastating impact on Snake and his mission. A monogamous Snake will be emotionally drained by the loss of his beloved partner, resulting in penalties in future missions and sidequests. Furthermore, it would prove a challenge to convince Snake to date again. Committing to monogamy also requires Snake to reject romantic overtures from other eligible women, which could have a slight negative impact on some budding friendships. Once a single, eligible potential partner reaches a _level three _social link, she may make an interest in Snake known in a way consistent with her personality type, if she finds him suitably attractive. If Snake rejects this woman's initial overtures, their social link will still be maintained, but it may prove more difficult to advance this friendship to its highest possible platonic level.

Monogamy can thus be summarized as an option with great risks and great rewards. Strict monogamy with a single partner is the easiest way to fulfill the requirements for a level five romantic link. Yet, once a level five romantic link is established with Snake's girlfriend, she must be fiercely guarded. To have her fall into an eternal slumber would be _far_ more crushing than the loss of any other Operation Philanthropy member.

The opposite extreme possibility would involve the pursuit of _many_ romantic links with virtually every interested and eligible woman Snake can find. Transforming Snake into Termina's incarnation of Hugh Hefner has its own advantages and disadvantages. Notably, all variations of Snake's morality **(see Chapter E for more details)** _except_ the 'Slimy Snake' iteration will find this approach to relationships morally objectionable and confusing at first. Snake may eventually learn to enjoy the attention from multiple women without feeling that his moral convictions have been compromised, but the initial the discomfort Snake will experience may prove a perplexing mental barrier for the infamous operative to overcome. Snake's subsequent reputation will prove both a help and a hindrance to Operation Philanthropy's efforts. Virtuous strangers may view Snake's attitude in regards to sexual behavior with disdain. On the flip side, a number of powerful miscreants and deviants Termina's underworld (and Neo Gerudo) will find Snake's notoriety a prestigious accolade. There are even polyamorous progressives among those with refined moral values who may approve of Snake's behavior, although these individuals tend to be few and far between.

Once Snake has advanced romantic links with _more than two women,_ he'll automatically fall into the 'Snake Hefner' archetype. When this occurs, Snake will automatically be barred from advancing any romantic links beyond** level four**. _(This restriction will automatically dissipate the moment Snake's romantic links are reduced back to two or less.)_ The ramifications of this restriction are significant. Since level five romantic links grant voters substantial metagaming abilities, a considerable amount of power will be sacrificed by taking this route. However, a promiscuous Solid Snake just might be more content than his monogamous counterpart. With multiple women to share Snake's affections, he would not confront severe negative repercussions if anything disastrous happened to any of them. The impacts of the death of a romantic link would be lessened.

As a brief aside, it should be noted that Snake's sex life and his non-sexual morality exist in _two separate moral paradigms. _It's entirely possible for the 'Slimy Snake' archetype to be romantically monogamous. Snake can similarly pursue several women in a non-traditional manner, yet still consistently make ethical business decisions that result in an impeccably ethical and respectable Operation Philanthropy.

There is a third choice that Snake may make in regards to romance that further complicates matters. Snake can, if voters choose to indulge him, attempt a _secret affair _with a second partner while maintaining the external appearance of a monogamous relationship with his first love. This option is only available if Snake is pursuing two romantic relationships; attempting to pursue more than two women reverts Snake into 'Snake Hefner' and eliminates this possibility. This morally conflicted variation of Snake's love life will result in the espionage agent attempting a covert approach every bit as secretive as his usual stealth missions. So long as his second dalliance strictly remains under his comrades' Soliton radars, he can attempt to pursue his first relationship to **level five**, _unimpeded_, and still have a 'backup option' to fall back on if his first love is lost.

This approach to courtship could be described as pragmatic by its adherents, as it does offer certain tangible benefits. Despite this, the consequences of such an secret affair can be catastrophic if the affair became publicly known. Acting in a manner that is heartless, cruel, and insensitive to the women whose affections he's garnered would have strong implications on not only Snake's romantic links, but _also _a wide variety of social links with multiple friends affiliated with Operation Philanthropy. At least one, and possibly both, of the women involved may eliminate their romantic links with Snake, or even eliminate their association with Operation Philanthropy entirely. The possibility that such a woman could betray Operation Philanthropy and join Link's Administration as an agent is frightening to consider.

Not every single and eligible woman will willingly date Solid Snake, and even fewer women will agree to indulge in a secret affair with him. Generally speaking, once a single female character advances to a level three social link, voters will eventually be presented with the opportunity to pursue his friend. Unlike _every other voting scenario, _the option to pursue a woman requires more than simple majority. **At least two-thirds of voters **must support an attempt to establish a romantic link. If this threshold is established, Snake will make a mental note to pursue an opportunity to speak privately with his friend once an opportunity presents itself.

(Alternatively, any woman with sufficient interest in Snake _and_ a sufficiently extroverted or aggressive personality may pursue Snake on her own initiative upon reaching a level three link, _regardless_ of how you voted. In this scenario, voters would control whether Snake responds positively or negatively to her attention.)

Several factors come into play in determining a woman's interest in Snake and her response to Snake's overtures. _Here's a comprehensive list:_

**i) Sexuality: **

Lesbians and asexual women do appear in The Legend of Snake. They will not pursue Snake for self-evident reasons, and they generally will not appreciate being pursued by him. Fortunately, it's relatively easy for voters to interpret the clues in the narrative that a female character would not consider dating men. (By contrast, if a woman is bisexual, she will be treated identically as a heterosexual character would be for the sake of determining relational compatibility with Snake.) It is pivotal to note that, in a conscious effort to better accommodate the varying perspectives of LGBT individuals in the scope of this storyline, several characters whose sexuality was ambiguous or undefined in their original videogame titles _may_ have better defined alternative sexual preferences in this narrative. Readers are generally discouraged from making assumptions of sexual identities based solely on the source material.

While touching upon the matter of sexuality, it must be definitively stated that this interpretation of Solid Snake is heterosexual, as alluded throughout the text of this chapter. (As a progressive liberal who considers himself a stong ally to the LGBT community, I'd like to personally apologize to anyone who is offended by this imposition. Several LGBT characters will be appearing throughout this story, but I've personally found it difficult to write a homosexual preference from the first-person perspective. Any attempt to do so might actually have a negative impact through an unintentional misrepresentation of such a relationship.)

**ii) Relationship Status: **

Women in a committed relationship with other Operation Philanthropy members cannot be romantically pursued unless their partner is killed. Even then, it will take time for the wounds of the loss of a beloved partner to heal before Snake can pursue the grieving widow. Women in relationships with characters _unaffiliated with _Operation Philanthropy may theoretically be wooed, but the opportunity to do so is rare, particularly if Snake's morality or his approach to romantic relationships would clash with the unethical nature of the behavior.

**iii) Age: **

The woman must be at least **20** _(twenty) _years old in the course of the narrative to be considered as an eligible romantic partner.

This reinterpretation of Solid Snake considers teenagers _too young _for his taste. (Yes, this restriction is one arbitrarily imposed by the author and _yes, _it applies even to the slimiest of 'Slimy Snakes,' or the most perverse 'Snake Hefners'.) However, it is worth noting that the ages of women in this story may _not _precisely match the ages of women in their respective video games. Much of this will depend on the author's comfort level in writing certain characters older than their canonical ages. Certain characters, such as the women in the casts of _Persona 3 _and _Persona 4_, are simply defined in part by their age, and cannot reasonably be written beyond their high school origins. Other characters, however, may be reasonably interpreted as older, particularly if the game or series which told their stories encompassed many years of that character's maturation and development. As an example, the same female character may be 13 in one game and 19 in another; I may feel comfortable adapting the latter interpretation of the character and aging her up a few years.

The collective effects of this approach ensures a sufficient dating pool of eligible women for Snake, but avoids the creepy and unnecessary implications of having Snake date underage women. As Snake is middle-aged and he appears older than his actual age to strangers, this seems a reasonable interpretation.

**iv) Regarding Anthros: **

For the sake of maintaining as large a core audience for The Legend of Snake as possible, the author is arbitrarily restricting the possibility of inter-species relationships by simply ensuring that Snake never finds Anthro women attractive enough to date. Human men and women _do exist _in Termina who _would _date Anthros. This is a rare but feasible sexual preference that does persist in Termina. However, Solid Snake is not interpreted to possess that sexual preference.

Humanoid characters that are _similar_ to humans and that do not include features commonly associated with animals (tails, fur, claws, etc.) _may _still be considered eligible romantic interests. One example of such a species would be elves.

**v) Prior Flirtation Success or Failure: **

Snake will have opportunities to flirt with several prospective romantic candidates prior to the achievement of a _level three _social link. Voters may occasionally have the opportunity to influence Snake's style of flirtation, which would influence her response to his advances. These interactions, in turn, have an effect on her interest or disinterest in Snake as a potential romantic partner. Failing in too many flirtatious gestures with a particular candidate who was otherwise eligible to develop romantic bonds with Snake would result in a rejection of any possibility of a future romance. Snake must be careful not too be too aggressive too quickly with some women, whereas others will not be interested in Snake unless he acted boldly and confidently from the moment they first met.

**vi) Sociability and Temperament:**

These factors from the last chapter's list in calculating the progression of social links make a reappearance here. These factors are not considered influential in determining a woman's mere eligibility as a prospective romantic partner, but they do help to generally determine whether a woman is more likely to initiate a courtship of Snake, or whether she would remain silent until Snake decided to pursue her. A woman with an 'extroverted' sociability type and an 'aggressive' temperament is more likely to make an interest in Snake known, whether Snake coveted that interest or not. A woman with an 'introverted' sociability type and a 'passive' temperament is more likely to keep to herself, even if she's secretly infatuated with him.

**vii) Romantic Compatibility:**

As Snake makes decisions to establish his reputation as a strict monogamist or 'Snake Hefner,' women will respond appropriately to his romantic identity. Some virtuous monogamous women with high ethical standards will respond negatively to any interest from 'Snake Hefner,' and will not agree on principle to play the role of the 'other woman' in a secret affair. These same women could have been far more interested in a version of Snake that shared their romantic values. By contrast, some liberal, polyamorous, independent or corruptible women may not respond positively to a righteous Snake's offer of a singular committed relationship. Those women would be more impressed by a version of Snake that simply required a similar scheme of incorporating friends with benefits.

Before a romantic link is established, if earlier chapters catch Snake fantasizing about a particular woman, wishing he could flirt or pursue her, or successfully flirting with her _without voters having prompted _those flirtations, these segments constitute indications that a future romance is a possibility. Perceptive readers can subsequently interpret the eligibility of a prospective romance through narrative nuances.

With all these details ascertained, the differences between level three, four and five **romantic links** and their platonic _social link _counterparts can be explained.

Like social links, romantic link progression is also determined by a series of numerical benchmarks. Here, there are greater and more challenging point values assigned to each level. Generally speaking, voters will possess more opportunities to gain more points during dates with romantic links, so long as positive decisions are made during these interactions. have the opportunity to gain more points during your dates with a romantic link (IF you make a series of great decisions during your romantic outing.) However, the pursuit of a romantic relationship requires a greater investment of time and effort.

It still requires b25 points/b to acquire a ilevel three/i romantic link, which is the same points value that is necessary to acquire a level three social link. From there, everything changes:

**TO ACQUIRE A LEVEL FOUR ROMANTIC LINK:** 60 points (total.)

**TO ACQUIRE A LEVEL FIVE ROMANTIC LINK:** 100 points (total.)

**TO ENABLE THE OPTION OF PROPOSING MARRIAGE: **150 points (total). A monogamous relationship is required.

The additional opportunity of marriage is only a storyline-related benefit that enables you something to look forward to as Snake continues dating his level five romantic link. Marriage actually invokes no meaningful or practical changes to Operation Philanthropy's chances of success. There's no substantial benefit to getting married beyond reading a delightfully _(or horrifyingly) _sappy chapter describing the ceremony. There is no requirement that Snake actually propose marriage upon reaching this threshold. The opportunity can be declined, and Snake will remain in a deeply committed relationship with his girlfriend.

**ROMANTIC LINK, LEVEL THREE:** "After deciding to pursue a relationship with an interested woman, Snake begins to explore the opportunities of dating. He can pursue more than one of these relationships, if he wishes to. At this early stage in a relationship, the degree of sexual and romantic intimacy depends on the personality of the women in question, but level three is usually the casual beginnings of a relationship. At this level, the relationship can be described as being light and frivolous. This is not yet a very serious commitment, or a very genuine romance."

**ROMANTIC LINK, LEVEL THREE DISSECTED:** One tangible benefit of establishing a level three _romantic _link, as opposed to its platonic counterpart, is that the odds of a betrayal from a woman who Snake is dating is reduced from _**10% to 5%**_ per decision made that is contradictory to her interests. Subsequently, while a betrayal from a level three romantic link is still theoretically possible, it's considerably less likely than if Snake and his level three ally just remained friends.

Other than this distinction, level three romantic links suffer from the same restrictions and grant the same benefits as level three social links in Operation Philanthropy main missions and sidequests. At level three, the only true difference is that romantic links will engage in romantic narrative activity with Snake. This will lead them to expect to spend more time with Snake than the average platonic level three social link. Finally, level three romantic links can _regress_ back into mere social links should voters consciously decide to break apart the couple, or if Snake refuses to spend sufficient time with his girlfriend. However, such a decision is likely to bear significant consequences.

**ROMANTIC LINK, LEVEL FOUR:** "Things are starting to get serious. A level four romantic partner has probably told Snake that she loves him and expects Snake to feel the same way. The nature of how this affection manifests itself largely depends on the respective traits of Snake and his love interest. These two will not keep secrets from each other, and Snake probably trusts her more than anyone else he's working with."

**ROMANTIC LINK, LEVEL FOUR DISSECTED:** In many ways, level four romantic links are virtually identical to level four social links. In both cases, the percentage chances of betrayal are outright eliminated. Just as with a level four social link, Snake can trust a level four romantic link to never betray the cause of Operation Philanthropy. Unless Snake neglects a level four romantic link to an astronomically unlikely degree, her commitment to Snake's revolution will remain written in stone. Moreover, just as with level four social links, Snake can now trust level four romantic links to lead certain independent missions without his direct supervision.

The telltale sign of the establishment of a level four romantic link will almost certainly involve mutual declarations of "I Love You." Level four romantic relationships are more formal affairs than the level three variety, so you can usually expect more intimacy, more dating, and more burdensome expectations. Most notably, Snake may be expected to occasionally purchase unique gifts for his partner, and he may be required to sacrifice time better spent advancing mission objectives to ensure she is content. As with level three romantic links, level four romances can _regress_ if Snake does not make a continuous investment into the relationship, or if voters willingly make decisions to tear the relationship apart.

The 'Snake Hefner' personality cannot develop any romantic link beyond level four. This is the consequence of developing a carefree and morally flexible approach to romance.

**ROMANTIC LINK, LEVEL FIVE:** "This level represents complete romantic intimacy; by this point, the woman in question considers Snake her soulmate, and she will do absolutely anything for him, with the single exception that she won't knowingly share him with anyone else. A level five relationship has one additional metagaming benefit: in addition to allowing voters the opportunity to choose multiple-choice decisions for Snake, voters will _also_ have the opportunity to **make decisions on behalf of** Snake's beloved partner at the end of any chapter in which the woman is present with Snake in a particular scene. This means that voters can control two characters instead of one in certain circumstances."

**ROMANTIC LINK, LEVEL FIVE DISSECTED: **Voters actually benefit from the existence of _two _metagaming abilities at this level. The traditional level five social link benefit of taking a lethal blow on Snake's behalf applies equally here. The level five romantic link can sacrifice herself for Snake if necessary. However, voters would probably want to avoid this outcome at all costs (as losing a level five romantic link is far more devastating than losing a level five platonic link, all other factors being equal.)

The second metagaming ability deserves special attention. The story's perspective never shifts away from Snake. The ability to make decisions on behalf of the woman Snake loves subsequently _does not_ include the ability to actually_ read_ a chapter from the perspective of that character. That being said, whenever Snake's lover is present with him during a mission or a sidequest, you'll have the opportunity to make an additional set of decisions (from her perspective) at the end of the chapter. So if Snake and his eternal flame are both sneaking around a TIA outpost, you may have the opportunity to choose options as to how both he _and his girlfriend_ would respond to an emerging predicament. This essentially enables a limited but tangible ability to control two characters at once, so long as both characters are present. This intends to balance the risk of having a love interest attend a dangerous mission with Snake (losing her would be disastrous) with the reward of a tangible benefit if she tags along (voters gain flexibility in decision-making and have a greater overall probability of success.)

Snake _can _enter a level five romantic relationship while simultaneously maintaining a single secret affair, so long as the level five relationship is the only one that is publicly acknowledged. Be wary, however. If Snake is caught engaging in an affair by his level five partner, the level five relationship is automatically rescinded, and the consequences of such an indiscretion can be monstrous in scope.


	13. Instruction Manual: Inconveniences

**_Instruction Manual_**

**Part K**

**Illnesses, Injuries, and other Inconveniences**

At first glance, time seems to be a luxury that Solid Snake and his allies can afford. Snake is accustomed to requirements to complete missions in mere days; to have hundreds available to him represents a windfall. To assume that Snake could crawl through the completion of Operation Philanthropy at a snail's pace, however, would be a costly mistake. Snake will need to make the most out of every day in order to develop the social links, procure the weaponry, garner the information, follow through on subquests and complete the main missions necessary to advance the plot.

However, there are several ailments that can hamper Snake's overall productivity. These same inconveniences can also burden the potential productivity of his allies. Each of these elements may be conceived as rigid gameplay mechanics that dictate the pacing of the story. These issues, which all hamper Snake's progress and lead to 'wasted days,' could be aptly compared to similar conundrums in the _Persona_ series. Days and even weeks of time may be lost in the blink of an eye. Some of these losses can be avoided if voters continually make excellent choices, but others are unavoidable restrictions.

While the short-term ramifications of these 'inconveniences' are profound, in the long-term it may actually _benefit_ Snake to undergo a brief series of torments. Losing a level five romantic link, for example, is a surefire recipe for a lingering depression. However, if a preferred female candidate for a level five romantic link is waiting in the wings, it may be tangibly beneficial _(albeit cold-hearted and immoral)_ to make decisions that kill off Snake's first love and send Snake spiraling through a temporary depression in order to embark on a course that results in Snake establishing a new relationship with a new flame. Another hypothetical example would include the hidden benefits of spending a few weeks in a local prison. Being captured by the TIA wouldn't _seem _like the smartest of plans, but it does offer Snake the opportunity to interact with high-ranking Termina officials who he'd otherwise never meet. Furthermore, certain optimal outcomes in sidequests and main missions may_ require_ Snake to make temporary sacrifices to escape other, more damaging repercussions. If the choice is between losing a teammate or getting shot in the leg, voters might not mind losing a week or two of productivity to ensure the survival of Snake's teammates.

As a prelude, it's worth noting that there's _not a single_ potential series of choices throughout Operation Philanthropy available to completely avoid the issue of lost time. There is no 'perfect path' that will cause Snake to avoid being hit with an injury, an illness, a brief excursion in jail or a mental breakdown. Even the best possible route to victory will involve several unavoidable tragedies along the way. A simultaneous mindset of deterrence and mitigation can prevent any debacle from escalating into a life-ending calamity.

The only truly irrevocable penalty is the death of Solid Snake. It is the collective responsibility of every reader and voter to ensure the tale of Operation Philanthropy does not end in tragedy.

**Five Dastardly Inconveniences**

**_i) Days of Rest: _**

This is the single most common 'inconvenience' for Snake to encounter, and it's arguably the one 'inconvenience' that is not a negative burden. Simply put, every time Snake successfully completes a mission or sidequest, he will require _at least one day_ of rest after the action. Note that this requirement is absolute and it is cumulative. If Snake receives an injury that would normally sideline him for a week and he also completes a sidequest in the process, he'll actually be sidelined for eight days.

The successful completion of a main mission results in a two-day period of rest prior to the month of October. Once Snake enters October, he will no longer take days off upon successfully completing main missions.

Successful completion of a sidequest results in a one-day period of rest _regardless_ of the date of completion. This is intended to dissuade Snake from indulging in too many sidequests as the threat of mission failure grows.

Aborting a mission or a sidequest midway through its completion does not result in an incurred penalty, so long as Snake is not injured or imprisoned in the process of aborting. However, 'resolving' a mission or a sidequest results in the penalty regardless of the nature of the resolution. In this context, a successful mission may not necessarily be one that has the most positive or beneficial outcome.

These days of rest are predictable, mandatory, and voters should be able to plan around them.

**_ii) Illnesses:_**

Like any other imperfect human being, Solid Snake's immune system is not impenetrable, and he may fall victim to a wide variety of sicknesses throughout the course of his journey. Unlike injuries, which tend to prominently occur after a series of poor choices in sidequests and main missions, illnesses can strike at virtually any given moment. However, illnesses are still _exclusively_ triggered by choices made by voters. Any decision that can expose Snake to unpleasant microscopic critters invokes a die roll with a certain percentage chance of resulting in acquiring an illness. For example, if voters choose to escape a certain predicament by forcing Snake to take a dip in the sewers, they are taking a substantial risk that Snake might come down with an ugly disease.

Illnesses and injuries are both determined by die rolls, but between the two, illnesses are far less encumbering to account for. An initial die roll determines whether or not Snake will become ill with anything. This die roll only occurs when Snake is actually exposed to something (anything) that could make him sick. The probability of Snake becoming ill depends on his circumstances. If Snake is devouring a meal that was deliberately poisoned by a certain nefarious nemesis, the odds he will become sick are substantially greater than the odds when Snake decides to kiss the forehead of his bedridden girlfriend.

While the _first _die roll determines whether Snake becomes sick at all, if this die roll is 'successful' in denoting the existence of the disease, a _second_ die roll subsequently occurs with a five-sided die to determine the number of days Snake misses due to his ailments. Since Snake is a spectacularly well-conditioned covert operative, no malady will result in him missing more than five days off the job, and no illness will actually kill Snake outright. (Presumably, nanomachines or some similar excuse is relied upon to justify why no illness is life-threatening.) Once the illness ends, he is back to full health and productivity.

If Snake does become ill, the illness will not take effect until the day following contraction of the illness _or_ the day after a mission or a sidequest is completed (if Snake is participating in a mission or a sidequest.) Multiple illnesses accrued at once are not cumulative in the sense that they do not stack, but I roll the dice multiple times and Snake is bedridden for the length of the longest lasting illness.

**Doctors, Nurses, and White Mages** may reduce the time that Snake loses to his infirmities so long as they are active and healthy Operation Philanthropy members. Possessing at least one on the team reduces the length of an illness by one day. This effect is not cumulative; more than one medic does not reduce the length of the illness further. Also, keep in mind that Snake can never lose less than a single day to an illness regardless of the presence of medical staff.

Fellow Operation Philanthropy allies might also suffer the consequences of an illness if voters deliberately make decisions that result in exposure to nasty bacteria or viruses. The same die roll principles apply but a _ten-sided_ die is rolled to determine time lost. A die roll of one through nine results in days lost corresponding to the roll. Rolling a 'ten' designates a _critical hit _of sorts, which results in different outcomes depending on the nature and the severity of the disease. The loss of a limb, blindness, permanent loss of combat utility, a coma or even death may result.

Like with Snake, the effects of the illness do not manifest until the day after the event or mission completion. The presence of a healthy medical professional reduces the length of their illness by **two days**, with one day remaining the minimum amount of 'time lost.'

When Snake is ill, the narrative skips the days lost and picks up again when he is feeling better.

When another character is ill, _regardless_ of their importance to the story, the narration does not skip.

For clarification's sake, minor illnesses (colds, migraines, and stomachaches) _do not_ fit into this designation of 'illness.' Such minor ailments can occur at the whims of the author, but they do not impact story progression or availability. In the case that a character contracts a cold or is suffering from a headache, readers will just have to endure the constant complaints of that character's aches and pains as they go about their business.

**_iii) Injuries:_**

Injuries are essentially governed by principles that are similar to those governing illnesses, yet the consequences are far more significant when Snake or an ally suffers an injury. First and foremost, only severe injuries involving a threshold of requiring surgery to fix are considered here. A mere bruise or cut is insufficient to merit consideration in this paradigm.

When Snake is seriously hurt, he'll need to be examined by doctors. If Snake is brutally injured, the day (including any ongoing mission or sidequest) will end abruptly with Snake's loss of consciousness. Not every injury causes this kind of a blackout, and a lesser injury will operate in a way comparable to illnesses, with the impacts not felt until the following day, or until the mission is completed. If enough Operation Philanthropy teammates are present with Snake, there's a possibility that Snake will escape the situation upon losing consciousness. If so, he will be able to recuperate normally. If Snake is particularly unlucky and no social links are present to save him, he'd be captured and imprisoned.

It is important to note that **level five** social links _will not _throw themselves in the line of fire to protect Snake from any non-fatal injury. That particular metagaming power can only be invoked in fatal circumstances.

Just like Snake, his allies can suffer the consequences of debilitating injuries. Due to nanomachines or a similar narrative excuse, the consequences of an ally's injuries are always greater than Snake's in terms of lost time, but the story does not skip days when allies are injured.

The process of determining the recovery time necessary to recuperate from an injury is virtually identical to the process with illnesses. An initial die roll is used to determine whether Snake is 'injured.' If Snake _is _injured, a ten-sided die roll is used to determine whether Snake will be out cold _two to eleven days. _The presence of a doctor, nurse or a white mage in Operation Philanthropy eliminates the maximum time lost by two days, but a minimum of two days must be lost.

If an ally is injured, a ten-sided die roll is used to determine whether they will be out cold _four to twelve days. _The presence of a doctor, nurse or white mage in Operation Philanthropy eliminates the maximum time lost by two days, but a minimum of four days must be lost. In this case, like with illnesses, the roll of a 'ten' constitutes a critical hit. As with illnesses, the consequences of the injury becomes far more significant in this context, with lost limbs, blindness, deafness, a coma and death among the various stakes. For these records, it is particularly important to make decisions that protect valuable allies, most notably Snake's romantic partners.

Assuming a critical roll is not achieved, the allied character will enjoy a full recovery with no lasting ramifications, so long as access to a proper medical institution is available.

Important: The lost time accrued due to injuries and illnesses _always_ applies, no matter how late in the timeline they occur. The one and exclusive exception is _during Snake's final mission, _when he finally takes on Link in Shinra Headquarters. During that mission, Snake will fight to the death and no mere injury will inhibit him until he is killed.

**_iv) Depressions: _**

Snake and his allies are all susceptible to depressions, just like any other human being. Here, however, the eligible circumstances that can result in _lost time _due to a depression manifest in only circumstance; grief. In the world of Termina, Snake and his allies may seem unhappy or despondent in the narrative due to a series of 'bad breaks' or due to emotional instability, but this will not impact their availability. It may impact their effectiveness on the job, but not their presence.

Grief is the exception to the rule.

Given Snake's grizzled, detached approach to human relations, only the loss of **level five friends and level four (and five) romantic partners **will be enough to spark an outpouring of grief. Once such a character is lost, readers will be well aware of its occurrence, as Snake will respond with an appropriate outpouring of emotions in the narrative. Then, readers will be informed of a period of mourning that will result in lost productivity. As with illnesses, the period of time lost does not begin until _after_ the current day ends or _after _the present mission or sidequest is completed.

Unlike in other situations, here the effect is _not cumulative._ If Snake is missing at least one day of productivity for any other reason, those days can also count towards his periods of mourning. Furthermore, losing multiple friends or love interests does not cumulatively increase the amount of time lost. In the case that multiple losses occur, Snake will lose an amount of time equivalent to the worst loss he's suffered.

**LOSING LEVEL FIVE FRIENDS AND LEVEL FOUR ROMANTIC INTERESTS:** When a level five friend is lost, Snake loses one day of productivity, meaning that the narrative skips ahead one day (Typing out every burial would quickly become monotonous, so it's better that this day is skipped.) Once he's finished, Snake returns to normal productivity. He may still sound depressed, but voters will attain control of his actions and progress can be achieved.

When a level four romantic interest is lost, Snake loses _two days_ of productivity. He still suffers no other negative side-effects aside from a dour disposition.

**LOSING LEVEL FIVE ROMANTIC INTERESTS:** The effect of losing a level five romantic interest varies depending on the existence of a secret affair. In circumstance it is actually advantageous for Snake to have acted immorally in pursuing a mystery lover, as the loss of his public partner is mitigated by her presence.

If Snake was Loyal: There will be a brief and soul-crushing summation of the funeral scene, and then Snake will lose _five days _of productivity to mourning. Upon Snake's recovery, voters finally gain control of him and the narrative will proceed, but Snake will suffer a further two-week **depression penalty** that will reduce his combat efficiency and prevent the establishment of _any _new social links. (After that two-week period Snake will still be upset, but he'll no longer suffer any tangible penalties.) Existing social links will remain intact and may even grow during this period, but opportunities to develop social links will be restricted. Furthermore, Snake can't pursue any sidequests during this time. He will only be able to concentrate on the completion of main mission assignments and various day-to-day tasks.

After the two-week period passes, Snake must wait another _six weeks_ before entering another relationship with a new woman. During this period, Snake can still develop platonic social links with women and the points accrued while developing a platonic relationship can carry over to a romantic relationship. However, voters will not receive a prompt to engage in a romantic relationship until this time passes.

If Snake has an Affair: The penalty of losing Snake's public lover is reduced to _four days _of time skipped due to mourning, and Snake _does not _suffer any tangible 'depression penalty' upon recovering. This constitutes a substantial benefit that could potentially justify the huge risk to social links and Snake's reputation laden in participating in a secret affair.

Snake must still wait _six weeks_ after this period before he can go 'public' with a new relationship status with the woman who was the object of a secret affair. If this information is revealed too early, other social links may suffer as a penalty. As such, Snake cannot successfully upgrade his relationship with his mistress to level five until after this six-week period has ended.

Regarding other Characters and Mourning: Operation Philanthropy members will only request time off to grieve if their lover is killed in action. When they do request time off, Snake will be given a choice in responding to their request, which voters have a say in deciding. Accepting a request mandates a _one-week reprieve _in which that character is unavailable to participate in missions, sidequests, or normal social link activities. Accepting this request does lead to a slight boost in social link points. Denying their request results in a substantial penalty to social link points _unless_ that character is in a level five friendship with Snake. In that case, the bond between Snake and his ally is so significant that no penalty is incurred.

**One Last Note:** In the month of December, Snake cannot afford to spend time grieving. Subsequently, no time is lost and no penalties are incurred whenever a level five friend or a level four or five romantic interest perishes in December. Snake's acceptance of the likelihood of his own impending death at this late stage in the storyline ensures that he is relatively unaffected by the loss.

**_v) Imprisonment:_**

Imprisonment is the trickiest of all the inconveniences to accurately described, as the tangible impact of Snake's jail time depends on a stunning variety of factors, including where he is arrested and which faction did the arresting. Though the Dungeon, administered by the Turks Intelligence Agency, is far and away the _worst_ jail to find oneself locked in, there are plenty of other TIA facilities where Snake is more likely to make his first appearance. Vercetti, Claude, and the pseudo-independent barons of Neo Labrynna are among several other subordinate entities with their own facilities available for lawbreakers and malcontents. Even the three tribes in the Sector Seven Slums have their own jails, where presumed criminals and hired grunts from opposing tribes are locked away.

Jail time also works in a fundamentally different way than the 'time lost' from other ailments and conditions. Unlike the other scenarios, jail time will include periodic chapter updates during Snake's time lost, and decisions made during those updates will directly impact exactly _when and how _Snake ends his experience as a captive. However, the pacing of the updates (and how many days of productivity are actually lost between updates) will depend on the whims of the organization that has captured Snake. Initiative lies with the captors, who will choose when to interrogate Snake and may even decide to release him on their own prerogative. Snake will periodically also find openings to exploit a potential breakout. He is, after all, an exorbitantly skilled espionage operative.

So long as at least a few Operation Philanthropy members _have not_ been captured, one independent variable exists that voters can depend on. Snake's allies will occasionally attempt **rescue missions** on Snake's behalf. Level four and five romantic and platonic links will _always_ attempt to lead a rescue effort exactly a week after Snake has been captured, assuming Snake has acquired social or romantic links at these higher levels. This rescue effort may not succeed, but Snake will generally be given choices during the attempt that influence its chances of success or failure.

Snake's allies, even those not yet affiliated with Operation Philanthropy, can also be imprisoned. If such a fate awaits them, Snake will be presented with a choice. He can either **lead a sidequest **to free his captured friends, _or _he can send** an independent force,** led by at least a level four Operation Philanthropy teammate, to make the attempt. An effort led by Snake wastes valuable time but enables voters to personally make the decisions influencing its success or failure. An effort led by a teammate only wastes the availability of the characters sent to complete the mission and does not slow Snake's progression, but the success or failure of the mission depends on rolls of the dice. If this mission were to fail, even more allies could be injured or imprisoned.

If the teammate is captured by a force related to Link's Administration in Termina (such as the TIA or General Mario's armed forces), there is a** four-week time limit** to either save the ally or lose the ally _permanently._ Taking longer than one week to complete a rescue attempt results in _a risk of defection_ among all allies below a level four social link. Level one and two social links will always assist the enemy with information as to Snake's movements or goals if they are not rescued within one week to escape the effects of torture. Whether and to what extent a level three social link holds out depends on ten-sided die rolls, modified by those 10% modifiers with preexisting conflicts in loyalty.

Any ally rescued by Snake within a one-week time-frame rewards him for his haste with a small boost in social link points.

Alternatively, Snake can organize an independent force to attempt to rescue those imprisoned while he attends to other duties. Leaving any ally imprisoned for more than four weeks automatically results in _their deaths or their defections. _Even a level five friend or lover will not be capable of resisting torture for such a lengthy period of time, and will be ruthlessly killed by their captors.


	14. Instruction Manual: A Guide to Voting

**_Instruction Manual_**

**Part L (Conclusion) **

**The Brief Guide to Voting**

At the end of every chapter, mission segment or sidequest segment, the reader is presented with a brief synopsis of Snake's progression, including existing social, support and romantic links as well as a list of Snake's weapons and a notation of the present TIA Security Threat Level. Then, the reader is confronted with at least one decision to make. The decision is presented in a standard CYOA multiple choice format. Each decision to be made offers the reader an opportunity to vote between multiple potential options. Several decisions may be offered at the end of each chapter. Voters always possess one vote to cast for each decision.

The outcome chosen for Snake to follow in any situation bears consequences. The best choices can lead Snake to rapidly develop new friendships, outmaneuver enemy forces, defeat opponents in combat, and succeed in missions and sidequests. The worst choices can destroy friendships and relationships, lead to injuries or illnesses, kill allies or even kill Snake himself. Occasionally, Snake may be confronted with contextual decisions in which Snake must merely choose to prioritize one social link above enough, ally or oppose specific individuals or factions, or choose to believe or doubt the integrity of a suspicious character. Sometimes, there is simply no objectively 'right' or 'wrong' answer to be found. In other cases, however, there may _appear_ to be no 'right' or 'wrong' answer...but the future consequences of a poorly reasoned decision could be monumental in scope.

The challenge presented to readers is in debating, discussing and determining among themselves which options are preferable. To this end, several rules governing the voting process are necessary:

**1:** After a new chapter is posted, readers have _one week_ from the time of the update to read the chapter and to submit their final votes. The deadline may be extended under extraordinary circumstances, but at least one week of debate is guaranteed.

**2.** Readers must **bold** and clearly distinguish their votes from the rest of their posts. The rest of the content of their votes may consist of efforts to persuade other voters to agree with their points of view.

**3:** Votes must be posted in one of two places to be recognized as valid:

* A corresponding The Legend of Snake (LoS) thread on Board 8 at _Gamefaqs_.

* As comments _to the corresponding chapter_, maintained at Archive of Our Own (AO3).

Readers at AO3 are encouraged to create a account to participate in discussions in the _Gamefaqs_ B8 forum to interact there.

**4:** Just because voting may occur in multiple places does not grant you the opportunity to cast multiple votes at each site. In order for your vote to be valid, you must identify yourself in your post. Be aware that AO3 and enable me to track traffic stats and information regarding the sources of comments, so attempts to record multiple votes from the same IP address will automatically send up a red flag. Furthermore, I may dismiss your vote if I have no idea who you are. To prevent this, I'd recommend crafting an introductory post if you're a new reader, or e-mailing me.

I'd rather not be a cynic and I'd excited to see LoS attract new readers, so as long as you give me no reason to doubt your credibility, your votes will likely count. If evidence mounts that you're attempting to utilize alternate accounts or multiple personalities to sway voting patterns, however, **_you will be banned_** from voting. Period. End of discussion.

**5: **That being said, a regular at Board 8 may attempt to convince folks at AO3 to vote for their preferred outcomes. Similarly, someone at AO3 can join in the fun at _Gamefaqs. _So long as you reference already having voted and do not attempt to recast the same vote, you're encouraged to attempt to convince others at the other applicable forum to see things your way.

**6: **In an effort to stimulate discussion, _changing one's vote _after voting is encouraged. You're free to vote, continue discussing the possibilities with others hours or days later, reflect on your prior decision, and change your mind. If you do so, however, **you must clearly indicate **that you are changing your vote. (Remember, **bolding**, _italicizing _and other methods of highlighting are your friends.) When recording your new vote, be sure to reference what option you're changing your vote from. This just makes it easier for me to tally the votes.

In other words, don't just say "You're right, I'm switching to X." Say, "You're right. I had voted Y two days ago, but **_I'd like to change my vote from Y to X_**." So long as you do so within the time limit, your new vote will be counted.

**7: **To ensure that sufficient discussion occurs, you are required to _justify your votes_ with at least a single-sentence explanation of the reasoning behind your decisions.

**8: **If you are not civil in expressing your disagreement with another voter or your discontent with decisions made by the author, your vote will not be counted. Constructive criticism is encouraged, but don't be a jerk. I am not fond of jerks.

**9: **You must choose between the options that are actually presented. You cannot create an _additional _option, no matter how creative or intelligent you perceive it to be.

**10: **If you find a mistake made by me in a chapter, I'd recommend contacting me via e-mail.

A pertinent example of a type of mistake that I'm eager to be informed of includes any statement in a chapter that appears to contradict the established canon in LoS. For example, if Snake reveals that he killed Colonel Campbell in chapter X but the narrative then suggests that Otacon killed Colonel Campbell in chapter Y, that's a mistake I'd want to know about. (It's worth noting, though, that Snake or another character may attempt to deceive others or conceal the truth in subsequent chapters; thus, be aware that not every misstatement is actually an error.)

I am _not _interested in hearing about grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, past and present-tense slipups, and other minor issues.

**Finally: **There is _no guaranteed _updating schedule. I apologize, but I'm just too busy to accommodate what is essentially an unpaid hobby on a definitive weekly or even a biweekly plan. When new chapters are posted, I'll be sure to include an update link to inform folks on B8 and whatever additional forums frequented.

That's all there is to say. Assuming you survived reading through this loquacious instruction manual, I hope you enjoy the rest of the story.

_**~ MyWorldIsSquare (MWIS) **_


	15. Chapter 3: Ace of Spades

_**Chapter 3: Ace of Spades**_

_January 14th, 2009_

I hadn't played poker in years. Otacon was always too busy constructing his technological marvels to bother with a game or two, and Phoenix never expressed an eagerness to indulge in gambling. When I would ask him to play a round, he'd give me a forlorn look, one of those whimsical stares into the distance, and unleash a melancholy sigh. Maybe he had enjoyed the hobby once, but it seemed the passage of time had dampened his enthusiasm. I thought his convictions on the matter were amusing. Wright never suffered any similar moral crisis when he was asked to bluff his way through a trial.

As for the others...by now, they were ancient history. Naomi was too busy gambling away our lives to bother with cards. The Colonel and I used to play, before I shot and killed him. And Meryl...

"Shit, Vercetti, you going to show us anything anytime soon or are you just going to sit there and pretend you know what the fuck you're doing?"

"I just don't want to pass up on these pretty Queens I got here. Look at how gorgeous these two are. I swear, Cid. They're the prettiest girls I've seen so far this week, and they're winking at me. You see? Look at these broads." The man named Vercetti, sure enough, had the queen of diamonds and the queen of clubs in his possession. A two of a kind wasn't exactly a terrifying hand, but the expression on Cid's face made it clear that it was enough to win the pot.

"Caught you in a bluff, didn't I, you pitiful terrorist," Vercetti balked, and that exclamation did not help soothe anything over. The blonde, Cid, looked about ready to tear Vercetti to shreds. This was apparently not a comment Cid wanted to hear from anyone's mouth, least of all Vercetti's.

"You keep your damn trap shut, Vercetti," Cid moaned, before taking a long sip from the glass of beer at his side. He tossed the cards in his hand with a flick of his wrist as he frowned in dismay. One of the two cards in his hand was the ace of spades. The other card landed face-down on the table, but it was reasonable to guess that it wasn't another ace. "At least I fought for _something_. Shit, Vercetti, you ever fight for anything? Anything but a damn profit? Fucking slaver."

"I am _not_ a slaver!" Vercetti growled, though the flippant tone of his assertion did not lend it legitimacy. "I'm an honest entrepreneur dealing indispensable goods to a community in need. Have you looked outside the goddamn window, Cid? The slums here in sector seven have been turned into a goddamn cesspool because of you Avalanche asses. And you're blaming _me _for your problems? What, because I deal in commodities and aim to make profits like any other decent businessman?"

"You sell people to the highest fucking bidder, Vercetti!" Cid shouted. "People! Avalanche was founded to _stop _arrogant turds like you. And look at you, laughing your ass off, as if accomplishing the title of 'slum lord' grants you fucking jurisdiction. I'd like to shove my spear up your fucking ass, and I ain't speakin' in riddles."

"Oh, you're just a bitter piece of shit because you lost another game," said Vercetti. "You don't give a damn about the human property I sell."

The human condition under the rule of Link had certainly fallen from grace. Nonetheless, I saw this is a moment to interject myself into the conversation. "Human property? That's an interesting phrase," I said, dropping my suitcase on the floor and placing an arm on the table.

Vercetti did not seem remotely amused by the presence of a stranger. "Who's this? You new around here? I haven't seen you before."

"This isn't your fucking sector, Vercetti. You don't own the damn place just because you're filthy rich," said Cid.

"And you don't own the place just because you're the last ember of some half-assed revolution. But you act like this tavern's designated idiot, hellbent on informing the masses of just how glorious the 'good old days' were. You know how it was under Cloud? How it _really_ was? It wasn't as beautiful as your sermons make it out to be. I made a lot of fucking money selling Cloud some classy prostitutes. Most of them were underage boys, but what else can you expect from Avalanche?" Vercetti barked.

"FUCK YOU, YOU GODDAMN SON OF A BITCH!" Cid had jumped from his chair, nearly knocking the table to the ground. I responded with a nonchalant shrug and began to wonder if there was an easy way to escape this mess. I had quickly lost my appetite to play a few rounds of poker. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Tifa just stare vacantly into empty space, as if she'd seen and heard this exact argument dozens of times before.

"Listen, boys, I just wanted to play a game of cards. No need to get too excited," I said, in an anxious attempt to prevent any further arguments.

"The stranger is right," the third poker player said, finally raising his bald head to acknowledge the others, just now appearing to become fully aware of the mess his associates were getting into. "Ms. Lockheart will kick both your sorry asses out of this joint if you keep making such fools of yourselves."

That last statement was almost certainly inaccurate. Tifa probably couldn't afford to kick _anyone_ out of her meager establishment, and she seemed absolutely disinterested in the proceedings. Vercetti and Cid could have started throwing punches or urinating on chairs, and Tifa just would have probably merely sighed and accepted the deviant behaviors of two of her most frequent customers.

"Sorry, Chief. Won't happen again," Cid grumbled, in a voice so soft it could nearly pass as a whisper.

Vercetti did not seem as conciliatory. If he really controlled the slums in the way Cid suggested, he probably didn't need to be. "You can both kiss my ass once you're done paying me what you owe. Oh, no, wait. You're both in hordes of debt. _To me._ Well, shit, I guess that puts a damper on your evening, doesn't it? Knowing that I own both your sorry souls, you filthy little bastards?"

"I'm a man of my word, Tommy. You know I'll pay you everything I owe as soon as the Turks hire me back."

"Newsflash, Chief! The Turks ain't never going to hire your sorry ass back. You're washed up. Injured. _Worthless._ Besides, I'd think completely defying Reno's orders is a good enough reason for him to want your sorry ass tried for treason. Face it, asshole, you're never seeing the sky again."

"Vercetti!" The higher feminine voice seemed utterly foreign here, though it certainly attracted everyone's attention. Tifa Lockheart had finally been pushed to the brink. Her slender arms folded around the curves of her bare midriff, though her posture only served to expose even more of that lovely cleavage. I could probably guess where the three boys were staring, but I was too busy watching darting my eyes between these strangers, unsure of exactly who to trust and fervent to avoid any further escalation. Things were not going according to plan, and the last thing I needed was to be seen as responsible for a barroom brawl. Word traveled fast in the Termina slums, perhaps because there was so little else of merit to discuss, and I needed to keep a clean reputation.

"Tifa, you grimy little whore, you got a problem with what I'm sayin'? Because last I checked, I owned your sorry ass. You forget who saved you from a life as Link's exquisite little plaything? Maybe I need to teach you a few more lessons," Vercetti seemed thoroughly amused by these proceedings. The more I observed him, the more convinced I was that he wasn't even taking any of this seriously. His distasteful language caught me off-guard at first, but I began to realize it was only an act. Vercetti wasn't angry. He wasn't even remotely perturbed. He was a cat pouncing on mice, eager to devour those unfortunate enough to owe him everything. In this sorry village of dilapidated concrete, where most families lived in tents barely large enough to fit one person, Vercetti's word was the law.

"I don't owe you anything anymore, Tommy. You, Link, Sephiroth...you've all taken everything. Everything I fought for. Everyone I loved. I have nothing left but this bar, and the jerks like you who drift in."

"Oh, stop the fucking act, Tifa. You want to pretend you're a perfect little angel? Poor, _poor _Tifa Lockheart, abandoned by her true love, forced to a life of servitude, rescued by a greedy fucking mafioso. Yeah right, you conceited little succubus. Let's get one thing straight. You _like _this shitty little life you've created for yourself. And, you love this little slice of _seventh heaven_ I've provided for you. There's nothing you like more than being told by the hordes of men who show up desperate to fuck you, and tell you just how beautiful you are, just how much they want to lick you clean. It's the only attention you'll ever get, the one boost of confidence you wouldn't dare relinquish. Some rely on drugs to get by. You're addicted to sex. And you don't even _like _sex, Lockheart! You just like that mystical _feeling_ that your life is worth living. You're no better than anyone else in these forgotten wastelands, Lockheart. Don't forget it."

As Vercetti continued his appalling monologue, I noticed in the corner of my peripheral vision that Cid, the unkempt blonde with some former association with Avalanche, held a small knife that was partially concealed in his left hand. Vercetti was too busy grilling Tifa and engaging in his sordid rants to notice Cid's actions, and if the Chief saw anything, he certainly wasn't going to share his insights. The woman in the corner of the bar, meanwhile, was still minding her own business, apparently oblivious or disinterested in the proceedings around her. I was beginning to become concerned. Her behavior...or, her _lack_ of behavior...seemed suspicious. At any rate, the Codec line was dead silent; Otacon and Phoenix were either too busy to bother dispensing their usual advice, or they were merely mildly amused by the tirades they were overhearing.

Life in the impoverished slums was nothing if not horrendously eventful.

I had a choice to make.

**STATUS: **

**Weapons: **Beretta M9 tranquilizer pistol, six chaff grenades, and six stun grenades.

**Social Links: **None.

_**Support Links: **Phoenix Wright, Hal Emmerich. _

**DECISION: **

**_How should Snake react in this situation? _**

**A:** Announce to everyone that Cid has a knife in an attempt to diffuse the situation. _(Not chosen, zero votes.)_  
><strong>B:<strong> Threaten to use a stun grenade to diffuse the situation. _(Not chosen, zero votes.)_  
><strong>C:<strong> Actually use a stun grenade to diffuse the situation. _(Not chosen, zero votes.) _  
><strong>D:<strong> Knock Vercetti out cold with CQC skills before Cid can act. _(Not chosen, one vote.) _  
><strong>E:<strong> Disarm Cid with CQC skills. _(Not chosen, zero votes.)_  
><strong>F:<strong> Let the fight play out; try to separate Chief from the action to ask him questions. _(Not chosen, two votes.) _  
><strong>G:<strong> Let the fight play out; in the meantime, approach the mysterious woman in the back corner. **_(Chosen, twelve votes.)_**  
><strong>H:<strong> Leave Seventh Heaven before the violence escalates further. _(Not chosen, zero votes.) _**_  
><em>**


	16. Chapter 4: The Chatterbox

**_Chapter 4: The Chatterbox_**

_January 14th, 2009_

My instinctive reaction was to intervene. I had been trained in several methods to diffuse these kinds of confrontations. I could have easily manhandled Vercetti or Cid before either had the chance to react. Cid may have once been a skilled warrior, but the years had not been kind to him, and it was clear that he had lost his touch. Cid hesitated to initiate his attack for a few crucial moments. Maybe he was intimidated by Vercetti's reputation. Maybe he thought twice about attempting an assault in a tavern owned by a former Avalanche associate. Or maybe his mind just went blank, paralyzed by the colossal weight of indecision.

Tommy Vercetti did not share Cid's pensiveness.

One of the first lessons I had learned as a covert agent in FOXHOUND, those many years ago, was to make a full commitment to any action. Doubt had no place on a battlefield, and it had no place in this seedy tavern in the underworld of Termina, either. The Colonel once told me that a moment's hesitation was the kiss of death. Once you raised your bet, you committed yourself to your hand, and there was turning back. This was a lesson that Cid Highwind would learn the hard way.

The next minute or so was an absolute blur, punctuated only by the familiar sound of a bullet leaving its chamber and finding a new home in flesh. I should have suspected that Tommy Vercetti would be armed. Cid Highwind should have suspected as much, too. Vercetti took his eyes off Lockheart's charming curves long enough to notice the knife in the ex-terrorist's hand. Cid took a precious second too long to commit to a fateful lunge, and Vercetti had more than enough time to duck the blow and respond in kind. A handgun that was once concealed emerged triumphantly in Vercetti's able hands. Tommy did not appear to be a fit man, as he did not seem like the type who could put much of a fight in a melee skirmish, but he was undeniably skilled with a pistol. The proof of Vercetti's marksmanship was vividly illustrated by Cid's final moans of anguish, as blood drenched through his navy blue jacket.

I remembered what Otacon told me, during last week's preliminary briefings. The moment I saw a murder firsthand, I had to react as if I was a common resident in Termina. I had to pretend I was shocked, abhorred, disgusted. This proved difficult for me. Over the years, I had grown used to this sight. As the last fibers of life drained out of Cid's eyes, as crimson drops coated the wooden floor of this forsaken heaven, I was merely reminded of the hundreds of men I'd seen die before. Despite her past allegiance to a violent terrorist organization, Tifa Lockheart did not share a luxury of familiarity with this gruesome sight. Her reaction was far more pronounced. Color rushed from her skin and as her jaw descended, and a high-pitched scream wailed for what felt to be an eternity. Meanwhile, I had merely jumped back and made a quick whelp that could have been interpreted as excessively poor acting.

She had known Cid on a personal and profound level, and they were two of the last remnants of a bygone era. Avalanche had been comprised of tens of thousands of members in its prime, but there were only a dozen ringleaders who operated under Cloud's direct tutelage. She and Cid were two of them. Cid would now join Cloud, Sephiroth, and many other Avalanche revolutionaries in the afterlife.

I had only a moment to regret my decision. I wondered if I had indirectly contributed to Cid's premature demise. Public associations with any ex-Avalanche member were likely to have proven disastrous, but Cid's predisposition against Link provided the groundwork for a valuable and reliable ally. Despite this, I quickly relinquished any semblance of guilt and accepted what could not be undone. My new goal was simple. I had to escape this tavern without arousing any further suspicion. I had to leave Tifa to her grief, Vercetti to his schemes, and the Chief to his nostalgic memories. But I wouldn't be leaving empty-handed, and there was still one potential lead that I needed to pursue.

That girl. Something was...off-putting about her. She barely reacted to the war of words among the poker players. She hardly seemed to acknowledge anyone's presence. The gunshot had startled her, and she deftly retreated, hovering near Seventh Heaven's back exit. I needed to speak with her. I grabbed my suitcase with my left hand and plotted a quick exit.

Vercetti had his gun pointed at Chief. The bald veteran and former Turk remained silent and merely raised his arms to the sky. Vercetti then began to speak, but with Phoenix and Otacon shouting obscenities into my mind, the details of his speech slipped outside the realm of my conscious thoughts. He was probably gloating. A man who possessed Vercetti's power did not need to make excuses for any repugnant behavior.

"Come with me," I said to the girl as I reached out and grabbed her forearm. She was young, blonde, petite, dressed in unassuming tones of brown and gray. She once blended easily into the background of Seventh Heaven's dark corners, but up close, she seemed vibrant, maybe even attractive. For whatever reason, she was willing to follow me, if only to flee the scene of such bloodshed. In a stroke of luck, we had escaped Seventh Heaven virtually unnoticed.

We found ourselves back in that dreadful frigid air. It was only getting colder. Beneath the plates, the changing temperature was the only surefire way to tell that night was approaching.

"Well, _that_ was a total disaster," The girl said.

"Can we talk?" I asked her.

"Depends," she responded. "I don't trust strangers. But, you fit the description of the man I was looking for."

"You were _looking_ for me?" This was news to my ears. This young blonde girl was not the mustachioed middle-aged man I had expected to meet at Seventh Heaven.

"I don't know. I just told you! I don't trust strangers. _You're _a stranger. Should I trust you?"

As a young girl living in the deviant wastes, she had every right to be defensive. Most older men in the slums probably had...other plans...when interacting with younger women. "Who told you to expect a man with my description?"

"Hey hey _hey_!" The girl exclaimed, after making several exaggerated hand gestures to accentuate her foul mood. Her index finger jabbed my chest as she shook her head in disapproval. "_I'm_ the one who should be asking questions! I could get in big trouble with my tribe if I mess this up!"

"Your...tribe?" I asked.

"Uh-huh. Geez, you're every bit as clueless as they said you'd be," the girl retorted. "Vercetti's goons might think they own this city, but his little gang only controls the markets and most the real estate. Not everyone down here is a slave. The free men and women here beneath the seventh sector belong to three different tribes. We fight to protect what rights we can, to make sure we're not abused or pushed around. If you're a member of Al Bhed, we guarantee you won't be sold into slave labor...so long as you do us certain...favors. That's how it's always worked, I guess." Her voice was excessively bubbly, a trait I found strange given the stark, depressing reality of her surroundings. It sounded like she had successfully deceived herself into thinking there was still hope this world.

I took a moment to get a good look at this girl. I was astonished that Tifa Lockheart would let this girl enter her bar. She seemed as if she could be no older than sixteen. She had a cute dimple on the side of her lips, a pleasant smile, and an energetic aura. It was difficult to believe a girl with her features had not been sold into prostitution. There was clearly more to her than just her looks. Why would Luigi Mario...or anyone else, for that matter...hire her to meet with a stranger? Did they suspect her to charm any potential hostiles? Maybe she wasn't hired by Luigi at all. She could have been hired by Vercetti, or even by the TIA, to keep a watchful eye on events as they occurred in Seventh Heaven.

"So you work for the Al Bhed tribe?" I asked.

"You could say that," she said, her smile growing larger. "I handle...redistribution of wealth."

"Redistribution? Sounds to me like petty theft."

"Hey hey HEY! That's _so_ not nice," said the girl. "I mean, that's a very nasty thing to call it. Vercetti and his loonies are the real thieves! We're the good guys. We only steal from the powerful, and we provide our people with food, shelter, and a chance at a better life."

"So, why were you in Seventh Heaven? If you were expecting me, why didn't you approach me the moment I walked in the door?" I asked.

"H-hey now! If your name is David, _you're_ the one who's supposed to be looking for me."

_David._ My real name. Otacon, Phoenix and I had agreed that using my codename, 'Solid Snake,' or any variation of it would draw too much suspicion. It had been a while since the glory days of FOXHOUND, but using my public alias was an unnecessary risk. Only the Colonel, Otacon, and precious few others had ever known my real birth name, and Otacon had told me that he hacked into my personal files in Termina's database to erase any mention of the name 'David' in the archives. David was a common name, popular among Termina's lower classes, and I was expected to use that name during Operation Philanthropy. I was not expecting this girl, but the namedrop was no mere coincidence. Someone had arranged for me to meet her.

_"Phoenix. Otacon. Can either of you hear me?"_

_"Loud and clear, Snake,"_ said Phoenix, his voice booming into my mind through the telepathic powers of nanotechnology.

_"Sorry about earlier, Snake. There's been a recent report from Termina...well, the news is pretty disconcerting,"_ said Otacon. _"It distracted us both until we heard that gunshot. Are you alright?"_

_"I'm fine,"_ I said.

_"You really need to work a little more on your...people skills, Snake,"_ Phoenix sighed.

_"What do you mean?"_

_"Barely a few minutes into Operation Philanthropy, and someone's already dead. You may not have been responsible, but any time you're near a murder, you're risking your neck and our reputation,"_ Phoenix said. _"You need to be very careful. At this stage in the Operation, there aren't many people we can trust. The more people you expose yourself to, the more likely you're going to get caught up in a brawl, or expose your intentions to an enemy spy. In this case, you bumped straight into one of the most powerful men in Termina's underworld and you were completely oblivious to the risks."_

_"If Snake and I have anything in common, it's that we're not very gifted in establishing friendships,"_ Otacon muttered. _"I mean, look at how he's handling this conversation with this poor girl. Can you offer him any advice, Nick?"_

Phoenix took a deep breath and composed his thoughts._ "Okay, Snake. First, try to limit your conversations to as few people as possible until you know exactly who you're talking to. Don't expose yourself to a crowd, even with a watertight alias. Remember, Philanthropy may not be a terribly big organization, but we still have an internet presence online. No one knows of Solid Snake's association with the group, but plenty of people out there have a vague awareness of our organization's online presence. If you're seriously going to assassinate Link, you're going to need to build a movement in Termina from the ground up. And right now, we can't trust many people to respond positively to our movement."_

_"I could just try to sneak into headquarters myself. I don't need anyone..."_

_"If you wanted to get killed and die a martyr, that'd be a wonderful plan. I'd prefer your mission to actually have a chance in hell of succeeding. This isn't a covert operation against a terrorist organization. You're not hunting down a group of no-name mercenaries. You're going up against the head of the world's sole superpower. You're going up against a President with armies at his disposal. You'll need to rethink your antisocial attitude."_

_"Heh,"_ I responded. _"So I have to be best friends with this kid? Sounds like the only skill she'd bring to the operation is getting on my nerves even faster than you two."_

_"Maybe. Maybe not. You'll have to make your own decisions,"_ said Phoenix.

_"Why was she expecting me? Are you and Otacon going to give me that 'need-to-know basis' treatment, like the Colonel? Are you hiding any secrets?"_

_"...Actually, Snake. We're as clueless as you are. The only person who knows you're in Termina is Luigi Mario, and we didn't give Luigi many details,"_ said Otacon.

_"So you think Luigi hired this girl as a proxy? Maybe he views her as expendable?"_ I replied.

_"Knowing how the tribes in the underworld operate, it's more likely that Luigi would have contacted the Al Bhed leader to arrange an initial contact, and that leader simply decided she was the best candidate for the job,"_ said Phoenix. _"Unfortunately, Snake, this could be a trap. It's possible that someone in Link's administration has hacked into our Codec transmissions. Heck, it's even possible that Link actually knows you're here."_

_"If Link knows I'm here, and if he's aware of our objectives, why wouldn't he just send someone to kill me?"_

_"Who knows? Link's used the threat of terrorism as a tool to garner public support before. He might view your presence as more an opportunity to exploit than a hindrance. At this juncture, Link has every right to consider a mosquito a greater threat to his well-being. We could be overreacting, but we're have a habit of being paranoid, right?"_ said Otacon.

_"All right. I've stalled long enough. This girl is looking at me as if I belonged in an insane asylum. I better say something out loud,"_ I said. _"We'll talk again later."_

_"Good luck, Snake."_

"I'm sorry for leaving you hanging there, uhh..."

"Rikku. My name is Rikku."

"Rikku. That's it?"

"When you join the Al Bhed tribe, you're told to abandon your family name. In practice, not everyone does. I did, though! I'm just Rikku, of the Al Bhed. And, you must be David...you're using that kooky communications nanotechnology. It's too bad you look _totally_ dense when you use it!"

Rikku's knowledge of the Codec system was disheartening to reflect upon. Otacon and Phoenix may have sent messages to Luigi that revealed the name 'David,' but they'd _never_ have told Luigi, or anyone else, that I was using top-secret nanotechnology. Even most lower-ranking officials in Link's Administration were clueless to its existence.

"Yes. My name is David. I wasn't expecting you, though. I was supposed to meet someone else..." I cut myself short. Rikku may not have been a friendly face. Someone other than Luigi might have sent her. It was best to withhold such damning information of a traitor among Link's cronies.

"No matter, David. It's a pleasure to meet you," Rikku beamed, showing off a gorgeous smile christened with pearly white teeth. Her beautiful appearance was a red flag in and of itself; hardly any girls raised in the slums were likely to have been this striking. "I'm sorry I didn't approach you when you first walked in. I knew it was you. I mean, I was, like, ninety-nine percent sure it was you. Ugly mullet? Check. Brunette hair, starting to gray at the fringes? Check! You fit the description perfectly. But I chickened out. You see, Vercetti was there and...it was bad timing. I don't like Vercetti! Vercetti gives me the creeps. Shivers down my spine...eeeww. Just, yuck. Cid wasn't much better, too be honest. There were rumors floating around that he began abusing his wife after Avalanche fell apart. Can you believe that? Creepy! But, you know, Vercetti might have started those rumors. He's that kind of a guy, a total jerk."

I wondered if this magpie was ever going to shut her mouth. Teenage girls. Typical.

"So, I was told to bring you to the Al Bhed safehouse on the corner of Paradise Road and Tropics Street. Yeah, funny names, huh? Especially in January. Vercetti named them. I think he still misses Costa del Sol a bit much. Costa del Sol...doesn't that sound nice, about now? I'd love to just throw a bikini on and swim in turquoise water...oh, it just sounds like a dream! I told Yosuke once, that he better promise to take me to Costa del Sol one day! But no one leaves Termina anymore, so I'm probably just dreaming. But at least Yosuke's nice enough to play along! I'll have to introduce you to Yosuke, he should be back at the safehouse. He's such a sweetheart. So much nicer than my last deadbeat boyfriend. _That_ was a disaster. Say, are you hungry? I'm starving! Do you want to grab something to eat? There's a few joints we can visit down at the marketplace. I hear there's a beef stew special..."

I wanted to shoot myself.

With a gun.

In my mouth.

"...and then I said, Tifa, I promise I won't drink anything, I just need to sit in Seventh Heaven and wait for this guy! And she said...here's my impression of Tifa, it's spot-on! 'Are you trying to seduce an older man, Rikku? Are you that desperate for money? Wouldn't Yosuke be upset?' Like _she's_ one to talk! Tifa Lockheart, lecturing _me_ on _that_ subject! Well, you know what I said? I said, 'Tifa, don't worry about it, unlike _some_ women I know, I'm just not that kind of girl.' Hehe, score one for Rikku! That's right. Tifa thinks every cutie in the slums has to do her kind of dirty work, but she doesn't know the first thing about us Al Bhed! She's totally clueless! Chief came in first for the poker game, and I wanted to start a conversation with him because he's just such a nice guy, not like those other Turks, and that reminds me..."

"...Rikku."

"Yes, David?"

"...Can I ask you something?"

"Sure thing, David. Don't ask me any questions about Tidus, though. Touchy subject. If you ask me any questions about Tidus, I will be very disappointed in you!"

I have no idea what a tee-dus even _is_. "No, there's something else..."

**STATUS:**

**Weapons: **Beretta M9 tranquilizer pistol, six chaff grenades, and six stun grenades.

**Social Links: **None.

_**Support Links: **Phoenix Wright, Hal Emmerich._

**DECISION:**

**_Which three questions should Snake ask Rikku? _**

_(Voters can select up to three choices. The top three options are chosen.) _

**A:** "Do you know a man named Luigi Mario?" _(Not chosen, zero votes.) _  
><strong>B:<strong> "Can you introduce me to Chief sometime?" _(Not chosen, four votes.) _  
><strong>C:<strong> "Can you introduce me to Tifa sometime?" _(Not chosen, zero votes.) _  
><strong>D:<strong> "Who is the leader of the Al Bhed tribe?" _(Not chosen, zero votes.) _  
><strong>E:<strong> "Can you tell me about the other tribes in the sector seven slums?" _(Not chosen, four votes.) _  
><strong>F:<strong> "Can you tell me more about Vercetti's organization?" _**(Chosen, seven votes.) **_  
><strong>G:<strong> "Were you born and raised in these slums?" **_(Chosen, twelve votes.)_**  
><strong>H:<strong> "How do you know about communications nanotechnology?" _**(Chosen, nine votes.) **_

_**OR, Snake can: **_

**X: **Assume Rikku is an enemy, and abandon her. Return to Seventh Heaven. _(Not chosen, zero votes.) _  
><strong>Y: <strong>Assume Rikku is an enemy, and abandon her. Go to the marketplace alone. _(Not chosen, zero votes.) _  
><strong>Z: <strong>Assume Rikku is an enemy, and abandon her. Find a place to spend the night. _(Not chosen, zero votes.) _


	17. Chapter 5: An Unlikely Acquaintance

_**Chapter 5: An Unlikely Acquaintance **_

_January 14th, 2009_

I wanted to ask Rikku dozens of more important questions that were relevant to the mission, but I was reminded of Phoenix's advice. To develop friendships with strangers, I needed to converse on subjects important to Rikku. I had to listen to her stories and try to understand who she was as a 'person.' As a trained stealth operative, I'd almost rather have charged into Link's headquarters on my own than indulge in such pleasantries. The social component of this mission was looking to be an impenetrable challenge already.

"Rikku. Were you born and raised in these slums?" I asked. It was a personal question, and not one I felt comfortable asking less than an hour after meeting her acquaintance. Still, I had to prove to Rikku that I wasn't anything like the vast majority of men she had the misfortune of interacting with in the underworld. Though she did not seem like a particularly valuable ally in a fight, knowing someone with her magnetic degree of enthusiasm could prove worthwhile. She was also intelligent enough to identify my usage of communications nanotechnology, and she most likely had connections with many others in her tribe. She clearly was an atypical person to find in this hellhole, and she probably had an atypical biography to share with those who'd listen.

"Oooh! Good question," Rikku responded. "Wow. I wish I knew the answer."

"You don't know?" This seemed a bit suspicious. Why would a blabbermouth like her spew endlessly about her love life, but refuse to share any generic detail about her life's story?

"I haven't the slightest clue, actually," said Rikku. For a moment, she seemed unusually pensive and withdrawn from the conversation. At the very least, my question resulted in an unexpected benefit. I ensured myself a precious moment of silence.

"Do you suffer from..._amnesia_ or something?"

"No no _NO_!" Rikku exclaimed, with an unexpected tone of agitation. "Amnesia? Are you kidding me? No. At least, I don't think so. At least...I hope not? I was raised here, I guess. My earliest memories...they're here, in this town. But I don't remember anything before I was ten. Doesn't that seem pretty...weird, to you? Most people I know have memories of when they were really young, four or five. I don't remember anything before...five years ago."

"That is strange," I said. It sounded eerily familiar, too. "Are you an orphan?"

Rikku shot me a nasty glare that lasted for just a moment. I hoped she realized that I was attempting to express a degree of emphatic concern, and was not trying to derisively label her an outcast. "...It depends on how you define a 'family.' My tribe...my Al Bhed family. They all take care of me. They protect me, and I'd do anything for them."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better," I said. "I know how you feel. I was separated from my biological parents when I was very young." I was also raised by a top-secret organization, perhaps a more professional sort of a 'tribe.' I wasn't about to add that tidbit of knowledge to my statements, though. My affiliation with FOXHOUND wasn't likely to trouble Rikku (who'd probably never even heard of us), but this girl wasn't the type to keep secrets.

"Do you...miss them?" Rikku asked, staring at me with those lovely emerald eyes. If I was a younger man…

…Wait. Her emerald eyes were missing something. _Pupils_. There were spirals in her eyes, not pupils.

_Shit_, I thought to myself, as I was caught off-guard by this revelation. Even as an operative who had plenty of experiences with eccentrics and nutcases, this was surprisingly disturbing.

"Not really," was my eventual response to her inquiry. I was telling her the truth, albeit in the vaguest possible way. Having killed my so-called father, it was difficult to pretend I missed his company.

"Neither do I," Rikku replied. "Of course, I don't remember mine. I've been told they were killed around the time of the Diaspora."

I nodded. "So you really don't remember anything before 2004? That's..." The word I wanted to use is 'unlikely,' but I hesitated before pulling the metaphorical trigger. Rikku's memory loss could have been linked to a form of post-traumatic stress disorder. The Diaspora was one of the greatest and most flagrant examples of Link's abuses of power, and thousands upon thousands of people had suffered the consequences. I didn't want to imagine exactly what must have happened to force Rikku into involuntarily repressing her childhood memories. At the very least, though, Rikku's story seemed to imply that she wouldn't dare find employment with Link's Administration.

"It's sad, I guess," said Rikku. "But I don't think much about it, you know? My philosophy is, always concentrate on the future. You can't change the past. Memories are nice, but that's all they are. So there's no sense in being nostalgic for what's lost, you'd just be wasting your time. But the future? Anything's possible, David! And that's what I remind myself, every day. No sense thinking about Tidus and what a jerk he was! Nope! He's in the past, and Yosuke is my future!"

"...Tee-dus? I'm guessing he's your ex-boyfriend?"

"I told you I _didn't_ want to talk about him!" Rikku scowled as she jumped up and down with an exaggerated fury. Given her demeanor and her expression, it was difficult to tell whether she was being serious or taking a light-hearted joke too far.

"Excuse me? _You_ brought him up. I'm just trying to understand who or what it is you're ranting about," I said.

"Oh!" Rikku sighed. "Fine. Yes, Tidus was my boyfriend. But then he betrayed me. He tore my heart to shreds! I would have given him anything he asked for, and he threw me right out of his life! Men! All they care about is sex, and the moment you give them what they want, they'll find some excuse to end the relationship! Tidus lied to me about commitment, about his plans for our future, about everything...and back then, I was stupid enough to believe his stories!"

"Aren't you a bit young to worry about all this?" I asked. I typically wasn't the type to lecture children on inappropriate behavior, but I desperately hoped she would stop complaining.

"Nuh-uh!" This and an exaggerated shake of her head constituted Rikku's enthusiastic answer. "I'm fifteen years old! Some girls are even younger when…"

I cut her off. I didn't want to hear the details. No upstanding man with a sense of values would. "Is Tidus a member of the Al Bhed tribe, too?" I asked.

"He was, back when I loved him. Now he's living above the slums, in Neo Hyrule, with some overpriced bitch and her family. I guess he's moving right up the ladder, huh? I always knew he was ambitious, but I never thought he'd use his greed as an excuse to..."

"His loss," I retorted, hoping to draw the diatribe to a close.

"Yes! Yes, David! You're absolutely right. It was _his_ loss. I can tell you're a great guy. I bet you treat your girlfriends like princesses!"

Rikku was wrong, but I had no interest in correcting her. She was entitled to think as highly of me as she wanted. "...Can I ask you another question?"

"Sure! But, can you wait until after we're done at the marketplace? We're almost there already, and I'm starving."

I realized that I was also hungry; my stomach had been running on fumes for several hours. I haven't eaten much more than a quick meal of Otacon's stale rations all day, the only kind of food I bothered to take with me, and these provisions were not exactly examples of the finest cuisines. Even in the festering underbelly of Terminy, better culinary options were probably available. "All right. Sounds like a plan."

Five minutes later, I was surrounded by a disorganized sprawl of rotten plywood and loose bricks. This was my warm welcome to the bustling centerpiece of the marketplace in the seventh sector slums, where the rights of men and women were sold for profit, where the children were less expensive than knives, where the dreams of mankind had been crushed into coins of gil. I had seen battlefields less gruesome than this den of macabre sin.

I instinctively made a mental checklist of my inventory. There were at least a few trinkets of value for sale here, and when I had spare time I would benefit from pursuing bartering opportunities. While I didn't bring any money, my decision to bring six chaff and six stun grenades could prove useful here. I possessed enough excess grenades to consider trading a couple away with virtual anonymity.

I could even consider trading my cigarettes...

…No. There were some lines Solid Snake would _never_ cross. The cigarettes would stay with me, and that was not negotiable.

A quick analysis of the marketplace revealed the kinds of goods I would find there. Most firearms were strictly out of the question. The few that were available were so poor in quality and value that the tranquilizer shots from my Beretta pistol would prove more effective. Explosives, most notably Molotov cocktails, were in much greater abundance. I noted that if I did decide to sell a grenade at the market, it would probably be easier to pretend it was the traditional variety. Few would recognize the comparatively advanced stun and chaff models. Chaff grenades, in these slums, would prove largely useless. The seventh sector slums were reasonably well-lit, but a level of electrical access to run most advanced utilities was out of the question. Only Tommy Vercetti and his goons were likely to have access to electronic security systems.

Most of the weapons for sale were of the melee variety, with knives constituting the dominant option. A few bludgeoning weapons, like hammers and maces, were also available. A couple merchants seemed to offer a collection of leather armor, but with my top-of-the-line stealth suit in my suitcase, combat attire seemed irrelevant to my interests. There were slavers in abundance, though the most prominent hub for the slave trade appeared to be a series of tents in a partitioned area called 'Paradise Falls.' A black man in a rusted red trenchcoat seemed to pay particularly close attention to the proceedings there. I noticed that he was glaring in our direction. He was probably more interested in Rikku than myself, but his attention served to fuel my paranoia. I refused to acknowledge the man and concentrated on the rest of my surroundings. A large tent labeled 'Nook's Cranny' seemed to have a wide variety of 'everyday items,' though the 'NO AL BEHD' sign next to the store was intimidating. Rikku, for her part, seemed nonplussed, only bothering to point out that 'Bhed' was misspelled.

Rikku's presence alongside me proved problematic. I couldn't afford to make any transactions with her hovering around. I wasn't entirely convinced that I could trust her just yet, and I didn't want to draw any unnecessary suspicion. I concluded that it would be best to return here alone in the near future.

"So, where exactly are we going?" I said.

"To Junes, of course! That's the store Yosuke's father owns! Yosuke works there, too. I have to check up on him, after all."

"Junes?" Rikku's indignation made it seem like I should have been familiar with it, but I had never heard of Junes before.

"Junes is the most sturdy building left in the marketplace!" Rikku replied. "It used to be a huge chain filled with valuable electronics. Then, Link prevented the underworld sectors from having access to most of the mako energy, and things became problematic."

"That was just after the Diaspora, in 2005. The energy situation in Termina got desperate," I responded.

"Silly politicians. They should have known there'd be consequences for forcing everyone to move here," said Rikku.

"The infrastructure was pretty strained, I'd imagine."

"Still, that's no excuse!" Rikku shouted. "It's terrible, what they've done! Yosuke and his family used to be rich. Now they're struggling to make ends meet. They only sell food, these days. And the food is..."

"Let me guess. Terrible."

"_DAVID_! Don't say such things! Yosuke's poor mother should slap you on sight! Those are her recipes, and they're just fine!"

"...Okay. But what were you going to say? Before I interrupted you? The food was...'"

Rikku was silent for a few seconds. "...I, I was..." She struggled to find the right words to say. "...I was, I...h-hey, not fair! I was just going to say they...they're not very good."

I could barely restrain myself. Two syllables of hearty laughter escaped my lips.

"H-hey!" yelled Rikku. "It's okay if _I_ say something's wrong with Junes' meat stews. They're awful! But, you know how hard it is to grow anything down here? Without natural sunlight? And the meat...you know how hard it is to raise livestock down here? Do you?"

I shrug. "Well...I'm about to find out."

The food was every bit as terrible as Rikku implied it would be. The chunks of meat, presumably from domesticated chocobos, was borderline inedible. The vegetables in the stew tasted like varying degrees of sandpaper. I realized that I had been spoiled lately with some comparatively decent cooking from the few fortunate enough to still live in Kalm. Compared to a majority of Termina's citizens, I had been living like a prince. For Rikku and for many others, this sludge represented a fairly typical meal.

Still, I couldn't complain. Upon informing Rikku I was broke, she offered to buy me dinner. I ended up praising her for false generosity, however, as it turned out that Rikku received a 'family discount' at Junes, and both our meals were free. Rikku did not bother introducing me to Yosuke's mother, for fear that I might have been inappropriately identified as a competitor vying for the young girl's affections. Despite my grievances with the thought of dating a teenager, Rikku's concerns were not unfounded. These days, such an arrangement among partners was more common than I liked.

Rikku was disappointed to learn that Yosuke was not present. Apparently, he had cut off his shift early, and was already back in the Al Bhed safehouse. Yosuke and his family, like Rikku, had joined the Al Bhed tribe. Apparently, boys and girls in the seventh sector slums were encouraged to exclusively date fellow tribe members, an arrangement that...given just how familial these tribes were...seemed just a tad incestuous. There was clearly some rancor between the three tribes, but I decided against asking for Rikku's biased opinion on the subject. I'd need to look for someone without a stake in the conflict to give me a better perspective as to exactly why these tribes existed and how they operated.

Rikku was eager to return to Yosuke and the rest of her 'family,' so she asked if we could sip our stews on the way back to the Al Bhed safehouse. I agreed, as it was getting colder by the minute, and the thought of staying out as the night's chilled air invaded the slums was not comforting.

"Can I ask my next question now?"

"Of course, David. Fire away! I was told to treat you as a member of our tribe, so...ask me anything!" said Rikku.

"I hope you don't misinterpret why I'm asking this question, but it's important for me to know the answer. How do you know about communications nanotechnology?"

The question seemed to startle Rikku. To the furthest extent of my knowledge, nanotechnology in general was a FOXHOUND secret. Long before Link became President, the Colonel had hidden nearly every detail of the technology from prying eyes. Operation Philanthropy never would have had a chance to get off the ground if not for the Colonel's posthumous gift of the presumed secrecy of our Codec conversations.

"Oh, well, uhh...I'm not supposed to tell you," Rikku mutters. For once, she actually stared at the ground, twiddling her fingers in a state that seemed relatively devoid of enthusiasm.

"You're supposed to treat me as a member of your tribe! I thought I could ask you anything," I responded. "And it's really important to me."

"I don't really understand how much of it works, honestly," Rikku replied. "I've only been told the basics. But, you see...I'm really interested in electronics, right? It's kind of ridiculous, given that I live out here in the underworld, but I've always dreamed about finding a way to supply energy to the people here. There's a single computer terminal at Al Bhed headquarters, next to the safehouse! Not too many people know about it, of course, it's all kept hush-hush. But _he_ lets me use it. He's so nice to me, really. You could call him my father."

"Who is _he_?" I asked.

"You see! That's what I can't tell you!" said Rikku. "He said not to tell you. You'll meet him yourself."

"I'll take a wild guess and say he's the leader of the Al Bhed tribe." I wondered for a moment whether Luigi Mario had fallen so far from grace as to become interested in a tribal leadership position.

"You'd be right, b-but...darn it! Darn you, David! Shush! I've already told you too much!"

I can tell this was only aggravating Rikku, so I decided to drop the subject. Since Rikku already knew about the nanotechnology, I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask my partners with my inner voice.

_"Otacon, Phoenix, can either of you hear me?"_

_"I can, Snake, but Hal's busy right now. We have...a few issues developing that we need to inform you..."_

_"Can it wait a while, Phoenix? I can't talk long. I just have a question for you to handle."_

_"Okay, Snake, shoot,"_ Phoenix responded, though I can tell something else weighed heavily on his mind.

_"What, haven't you been paying attention to my conversation with this girl? You should know what I'm going to ask..."_

_"Sorry, Snake, we've been...busy, as I said. I'm trying to read this report...I haven't really..."_

_"Phoenix. This young girl I'm with. Rikku. She knows about communications nanotechnology. She recognized that I was using it during our last conversation. How is that possible?"_

_**"H-hold it!"**_ If Phoenix's arm could stretch long enough to reach Termina, I'm sure it would. I could only imagine him wagging his finger back and forth, trying to compose himself after hearing this news. _"That's i-impossible! She knows? About nanotechnology? Even I didn't know about this until I joined you guys..."_

_"I know. It strikes me as...very suspicious. Apparently, the leader of the Al Bhed tribe told Rikku that I'd have this technology. She recognized that I was using the Codec system the minute my face went blank when I stopped chatting with her to check in with you. You need to check the internet, check any sources available, and see who this person is…"_

_"I'm on it, Snake! But...if the leader of the Al Bhed tribe was expecting you, that could only mean Luigi Mario told him. I can't think of any other possible explanation. And, if Luigi knew you were using nanotechnology..."_

_"I know, Phoenix. This could turn into a huge mess if we don't act soon. If Link's Administration knows about nanotechnology and can hack into our transmissions, we'd be in huge trouble."_

_"Well, Snake...we're in much more trouble than you think already. Otacon will have to give you the news later. Right now, we're still trying to interpret exactly what this news means. Be sure to give us a call tonight, after you find a place to stay."_

_"Will do, Phoenix. Stay safe."_

_"Hey, Snake. You can call me Nick, you k-"_

I cut off the transmission prematurely. Rikku was staring me down, a knowing smirk covering her face, her petite body still bouncing vigorously with each step she took.

"You're talking to that friend of yours again," Rikku playfully sung in a melodic voice, pretending to sound disappointed. "You don't think I'm worthy of your time?"

"No, I just, uhh...I had to clarify something," I replied.

"Whatever you're up to, you must have some crazy goals, using technology like that here in the slums," said Rikku. "Say...don't tell me...you're not here to shut down the Vercetti mafioso, are you? Maybe the politicians above us have finally realized Vercetti's breaking all kinds of laws! That's what you're here for, isn't it? That's why you approached Vercetti at Seventh Heaven! Oh, I'm so sorry Cid ruined your chance..."

"No," I responded. "Though you're braver than I gave you credit for to blather on about executing Vercetti in public," Of course, there was also the possibility that Rikku is secretly working for Vercetti and keeping tabs on outsiders. In that case, Rikku could have been attempting to goad me into revealing intentions that could have resulted in death. At this rate, Rikku could be working for nearly _anyone_ and I doubt I'd be surprised.

"I'm, just curious...that's all," said Rikku.

"While we're on the subject of Vercetti, though. Could you tell me more about Vercetti's organization? You and others at Seventh Heaven referred to it as a 'mafioso' before..."

"Y-yes! It's just like the Junon Mafiate was! Only worse! Worse, if you could believe it!" Rikku exclaimed. The Junon Mafiate...that was an expression I hadn't heard in years. They went out of business before Rikku was even born. "Vercetti runs an organized crime syndicate down here, and no one's bothered to stop him! Everyone upstairs...they're all blind to what's happening down here!"

My own conjecture was that Link and everyone else 'upstairs' was enabling and empowering Vercetti to get away with this. This was idle conjecture that I wouldn't share with Rikku. "An organized crime syndicate? What do you mean?"

"It's a little complicated...and I'm not sure if I could explain it to you very well," Rikku muttered. "I don't understand half of it. Vercetti controls nearly all the real estate here. Most the habitable buildings...the real ones, not the tents, but the properties with real floors and walls...they're Vercetti's. Before the Diaspora, he purchased everything here dirt cheap. He must have been really smart to have guessed the Diaspora would lead to such high competition for such trashy places to live!"

Really smart or really well informed, I thought. I would have hedged a bet on the latter. "So, everyone had to go to Vercetti to negotiate to live as tenants on his property."

"Right! All three of the tribes have to stay in Vercetti's favor to keep our safehouses and our headquarters. The Al Bhed safehouse was once an elementary school, and our headquarters was once a firehouse...back when these slums used to be like a real town."

"Makes sense. The effects of the Diaspora would have absolutely destroyed any sense of civil ordinance in the slums. This district transformed overnight into virtual anarchy, and Vercetti was here to enforce a new system. I'm sure he made a hefty profit," I said.

"Right," said Rikku. "Now Vercetti is practically the law of the land. Everyone in the underworld, anyone who wants to be somebody...to just have constant access to electricity and running water, even...has to work for Tommy Vercetti. And unless someone above us decides to put an end to Vercetti...no one can stop him."

"Does Vercetti own the entire underworld, or just the seventh sector?" I asked.

"Just here," Rikku said. "There are eight plates on top of us...most of them hold the townships of Termina. They use a similar partitioning system to divide the slums. We're beneath the seventh plate, Neo Ikana, so we're the sector seven slums. Vercetti owns this sector, and it's virtually impossible these days to travel from one to the other."

"That's strange. I didn't think security was that tight," I replied.

"It's easy to get into Termina, but nearly impossible to move around once you're inside. You have to own passports to get anywhere, and there's all sorts of arcane rules and regulations...it's really a pain," Rikku sighed. "It's what we're stuck with, I guess. Link says these are sacrifices we must make to be safe."

"From terrorists?"

"Yeah. Everyone's afraid of another Avalanche," said Rikku.

"I see."

"Yeah…I don't know much about the other sectors, but a friend of Vercetti's, a guy named Claude, owns most the real estate in Liberty City in sector six. Claude and Vercetti have special passports, so they visit each other all the time. According to rumors, Vercetti was just in sector six a few days ago. Rumors always fly about with those two. One day they're conspiring a rebellion against Link, the next they're conspiring to work with him and collect outrageous taxes. No one knows what's going to happen next."

"Where does Vercetti live?" I figured it wouldn't hurt to know this.

"I hope you're not thinking of going there anytime soon," Rikku said, in something close to a soft whisper. "Vercetti doesn't take kindly to most visitors. You saw what he did to Cid, and that's just at the bar he frequents for free drinks. His base is in the old police headquarters, downtown. It's only a few blocks from the marketplace. Be careful, though. In addition to his grunts, Vercetti has seven bodyguards, and they're all equipped with dangerous weapons. The kind you won't see anywhere else in the slums."

Seven bodyguards? At least Vercetti wasn't nearly as well defended as Link. Still, taking Vercetti's financial empire down wasn't exactly part of Operation Philanthropy's mission statement. In fact, disposing of Vercetti might lead to the kind of instability Link's administration would readily notice. The ramifications of such an execution might endanger the mission.

"Well, we're almost there," said Rikku, as she twirled a strand of her caramel blonde hair with one finger. "You see? That's what's left of the elementary school. That's our safehouse. We converted it to a series of bedrooms for Al Bhed members to stay in. We're much better protected in there than we would be in tents or cardboard boxes."

"Actually, I wouldn't mind a cardboard box," I replied. "Sounds comfy."

"David! Stop goofing off!" Rikku exclaimed. "Seriously, a box? What kind of a homeless vagrant are you? You'll be much safer in the safehouse!"

"Hmph. Well, it's getting late..."

"Yeah, I should take you inside. Unless you have other plans?"

"Actually..."

**STATUS:**

**Weapons: **Beretta M9 tranquilizer pistol, six chaff grenades, and six stun grenades.

**Social Links: **  
><strong>**

_Level One: **  
><strong>_Rikku

_**Support Links: **__Phoenix Wright, Hal Emmerich._

**DECISION:**

_**How should Snake spend this evening?**_

**A: **Move into the Al Bhed safehouse for the night; ask to stay in your own room. **_(Chosen, five votes.) _  
>B: <strong>Move into the Al Bhed safehouse for the night; ask to stay in Rikku's room. _(Not chosen, zero votes.)_**  
>C: <strong>Move into the Al Bhed safehouse for the night; ask to stay in Yosuke's room. _(Not chosen, four votes.) _**  
>D: <strong>Ask Rikku to accompany you to the Al Bhed headquarters and attempt to meet the Al Bhed leader. _(Not chosen, one vote.) _**  
>E:<strong> Tell Rikku you'll be back later tonight. Go back to the marketplace alone. _(Not chosen, two votes.)  
><em>**F: **Ask Rikku to go journey back to Seventh Heaven with you._ _(Not chosen, zero votes.) _  
><em>**G: **Tell Rikku you'll be back later tonight. Travel back to Seventh Heaven alone. _(Not chosen, one vote.) _


	18. Chapter 6: Exposition Part One

_**Chapter 6: Exposition (Part One)**_

_January 14th, 2009_

"...I think you're right, Rikku. It's been a long day, and I could use the rest. I appreciate your tribe's offer to accommodate me," I said, after a moment of awkward silence. Trusting Rikku and the Al Bhed seemed a risky proposition, but to deny their offer was to invite even more danger. Though the intriguing temptation of living in the ethereal confines of a cardboard box had lingered in the recesses of my mind, I had to remain realistic. These streets were not safe havens for weary travelers, and all my years of hardened combat experience would be irrelevant the moment I closed my eyes. At the very least, the Al Bhed safehouse would provide a roof over my head and a substantial degree of security. Besides, in this forgotten cesspool of wretched existence, there really was no perfect place to stay, and no one to trust with certainty.

Rikku's gregarious behavior was a minor annoyance, but her nonchalant musings and her transparent benevolence did not suggest a secret identity as an assassin. In my earlier days as a covert operative, I was trained to distinguish certain verbal and nonverbal cues so I could determine whether a person of interest was lying or telling the truth. Rikku's mannerisms seemed authentic, so I had no reason to doubt her credibility. I decided to follow Rikku's advice, albeit with a fair degree of vigilance.

"That's great! David, you're really going to like it here. I promise that you and Yosuke will get along so well! I can't wait for you to meet him!" Rikku was jumping up and down like a young child at a candy store. I didn't know whether to laugh or to moan at her hysterics.

"Actually, Rikku...I think I'd prefer my own room, if that would be possible," I said. I quickly realized that I needed to scramble to find an appropriate excuse to satiate her curiosity. Most newcomers to the Al Bhed tribe were likely expected to stay with others. Living quarters in the slums were probably limited. "I think...I think others may misinterpret my usage of nanotechnology. I'm sure Yosuke would think I was a pretty strange guy, just staring blankly at the wall..."

"Oh. I understand," said Rikku, with a tone of resignation. I nearly sighed with relief once I realized that she had implicitly confirmed that most the others in the Al Bhed tribe knew nothing about my communications nanotechnology. "I'm sorry. I really want you to spend time with Yosuke, you know. I think you'd become fast friends!"

I privately doubted the veracity of Rikku's latest statement. "I look forward to meeting Yosuke, but it'd be best for us both to stay in separate rooms. I hope there will be a vacant room for me?"

"I think so! Still, we Al Bhed are popular these days! There's plenty of people here who'd sell all their possessions to join our tribe, but we don't just hand out free invitations! And this school isn't that large...there's maybe about twenty classrooms, a few offices, a gym and an auditorium. We've converted them all into bedrooms. Most the rooms fit more than one person. But our leader expected you'd want your own space, so...he made..._something_ available."

I shot Rikku a curious glance. "That doesn't sound like a ringing endorsement. I'm guessing this room I'll have to myself is..."

"...A tiny janitor's closet. Yup! Not much space at all, David. You'll be squished like a teeny-weeny bug in there!" Rikku made a few motions with her hands, her fingers mimicking a tiny insect trapped in a cramped space. "That's why I wanted you to consider staying at Yosuke's. If you don't trust him...well...my place would be…"

"No, no, _no, _thank you," I replied. Despite Rikku's awkward efforts to act the part of a cordial host, I could tell she was no more enthusiastic about the prospect of sharing a room than I was. Hospitality had its limits, and I had little interest in being the inevitable subject of tawdry rumors. "You have been kind enough already. I'd expect that a tribe as close-knit as yours would not take my presence in your bedroom lightly."

"I agree, it'd be better for us to avoid that," said Rikku. As much as I hated to admit it, my selfish pride took a blow when I realized there was no hint of disappointment in her voice. "A guy like you and a girl like me in the same room...that'd be one way to start some nasty gossip. Still, I've been taught to be polite to guests! Maybe Yosuke and I could stay together for a while, and you could take his space in his room? I could ask if…"

"That won't be necessary," I said. "Trust me. If I could feel at home in a cardboard box, I can definitely make do with a janitor's closet. I haven't brought much with me. It won't be an inconvenience."

Rikku's expression lightened up again, that familiar perkiness returning to her hyperactive body. "Okay! Sounds great, David! Oh, I can't wait to introduce you to everyone! Oh, you'll definitely meet Odessa, and she's such a sweetheart. Don't you dare think the wrong way about her, though, David...Flik will tear you to shreds and feed you to the sharks! And Flik! He's amazing! He's one of our heroes. They call him Blue Thunder. And it's no wonder! I'm afraid of lightning...did I tell you that, yet? I'm serious! A single bolt of lightning and the sound of thunder...it scares me to death! When a thunderstorm happens here, we don't experience the rain, but the plates above shake and roar with every strike. My imagination runs wild! It's so terrifying!"

Nothing short of divine intervention from a compassionate deity could spare me from this misery. My prayers remained unanswered, as the girl continued to share her thoughts in an undulating stream of consciousness.

"…So I should be afraid of Flik, right? But I'm not! Because Flik, he's such a softie, and really a sweetheart...he puts up this facade of being such a tough guy, but it's all an act. You should see how his heart melts around Odessa...so romantic! And you'd like Flik because you both wear those blue bandannas! I'm not kidding, his is _just_ like yours! Then there's Heishiro Mitsurugi. He can be a little old-fashioned at times...I don't think he appreciates modern technology like I do. He really is an honorable man though, and you can definitely trust his word! If you meet him, be sure to be respectful. Heishiro has fought in a lot of battles against our enemies and he's a real master with a katana. Of course, Yosuke's family provides us with most the food, so don't you dare say anything nasty about their cooking! It's their pride and joy! And then there's Amir. He's absolutely amazing! He's also my mentor and I'm _so_ proud to know him! He's a real acrobat and he's taught me nearly everything I know about pickpocketing, but ever since Farah disappeared..."

"...Rikku."

"...yes, David?"

"...I'm sorry, it's just, I'm not feeling well. I have a bit of a migraine..."

Rikku let out a short gasp, her swirled irises enlarging with a sudden jolt of recognition. "Oh, no! I'm so sorry, David! I didn't know you suffered from migraines! Oh, you're just like Yosuke...and Tidus used to suffer from headaches too, now that I think of it! Gosh, so many men I know get migraines! Don't worry. We have plenty of medicine available in the safehouse and I'll be sure to let you get plenty of rest tonight!"

Much to my surprise, Rikku was right all along. Despite our many apparent differences, Yosuke and I had something in common.

We were both damned good liars.

Once a bastion of knowledge and learning, the building formerly known as the seventh district slum's elementary school had decomposed along with the rest of the underworld. Its appearance was deceiving, in large part because its outer walls of concrete remained fully intact and in functional condition. Compared to most the other buildings in the slums, the school's architecture seemed structurally sound. Many jealous onlookers unassociated with the Al Bhed would certainly gaze upon this facility with envy. Jealousy was an appropriate emotion to associate with this safehouse, as a cascade of emerald light illuminated the structure and provided a surreal aesthetic feel to its environs.

As we entered the safehouse, Rikku informed me that green was selected as the color associated with the Al Bhed. The Al Bhed used what little electric power they could afford to mark their territory. This was an action all the tribes in the seventh sector felt compelled to take, even though this offered little tangible benefit for their members. All three tribes in the seventh sector were stuck in a perpetual cycle of hostilities, forced to battle each other over excruciatingly limited resources. Anyone who dared to attempt to unite the tribes would be taking a spectacular risk, but if such unity could be achieved, an integrated force of warriors from the tribes could probably tear apart the establishment in the underworld.

The Al Bhed safehouse represented a clear example of the futility of outward projection. Based on its exterior appearance, one would garner the false impression that the Al Bhed was a force of stability in the wastelands, a feared organization to be reckoned with. Inside the school's double-doors, however, was a chaotic mess of empty boxes, scattered litter, leaking pipes, and broken glass. The majority of the fluorescent lights inside the compound were not functional, and the few that remained flickered on and off. The atmosphere was reminiscent of a ghastly setting in a second-rate horror movie.

The front doors were unlocked, and Rikku and I simply strolled in without causing an incident. In the entrance hall, two burly men with rifles confronted us. Rikku simply nodded and said "Hello," which was apparently all the men needed to hear to let us pass.

"Did you go to a public school as a kid, David, or were you homeschooled?" Rikku asked.

This was not a question I anticipated. "I went to a...unique school," I said, parsing my words carefully. "You and I have a bit in common, actually. I don't remember much of my childhood, to be honest. Why are you asking?"

"Well, here's the deal. We don't exactly have a map of the safehouse for anyone to read, but I can give you a basic description," said Rikku. "I'll keep it short and sweet, too, since I know you're not feeling well! On the first floor you'll find most the classrooms, the auditorium and the gym. All those rooms were converted into bedrooms for our tribe members. Most importantly, though, there's a nurse's office. It's Room 104-C. We don't have very sophisticated stuff here, but only Vercetti has better medical equipment in this district. There's also the principal's office, that's Room 101. Odessa works there, and our single working computer...believe it or not, we have a computer, but it's not very glamorous and it doesn't always work..."

"I thought you said you'd keep this short," I remarked.

"Hey! David! I-I'm just trying to help!" Rikku pouted.

"...I know. I'm sorry. Continue." Phoenix was right. I had to make a conscious and continual effort to improve my social skills to give Operation Philanthropy a fighting chance of succeeding.

"...Anyway, Odessa's job is to handle the administrative side of things, so that's where we're headed now. She's the one who will give you access to your room. She's a wonderful woman! Please treat her with the utmost respect. If you don't, you won't have many friends in the Al Bhed!" Rikku exclaimed. "The cafeteria is Room 127. It includes a cafeteria that's been stocked by Yosuke's parents, and a tavern. You can drink alcohol in there, and it's also the only public room in the safehouse where you can smoke...if you're into that kind of thing."

That was _exactly_ what I needed to hear. "Good news. I'll be sure to stop by whenever I feel the urge."

If looks could kill, Rikku's would result in a premature burial. "D-David! You really shouldn't smoke! It's a terrible habit! No wonder you're getting such nasty migraines!"

"...I'm pretty sure there's no correlation between the two," I said. I was already beginning to regret feigning that migraine.

"Oh, David! Now I'm going to worry sick about you!" Rikku sighed.

"That's your choice," I curtly replied. "If I were you, I'd let it slide. A very good friend of mine has tried to convince me to stop for years now. I've never listened."

"Well, don't you go crying to me the moment your black lungs explode!" shouted Rikku. "...Moving on...if you ever need to get in touch with me, I have my own room. It's Room 134. Most of the classrooms have been partitioned into separate rooms with flimsy dividers, but I managed to acquire enough gil to buy my own space."

"Sounds more like you _stole_ enough..."

"You and your rotten assumptions, David!"

"Since you gave me a hard time about smoking, I felt like returning the favor."

"...You're a crafty little serpent sometimes, you know? And let me tell you, I _really_ hate snakes!" I silently reminded myself to never reveal my FOXHOUND codename to the Al Bhed girl. "You should be thankful I like you enough to stomach your jabs. Yosuke's a better man than you, though. He'd never talk back to a fine lady," said Rikku, her tone shifting to a prim and proper accent. I couldn't tell whether she was joking around or if she intended me to take her seriously. "Your room will be on the second floor, and so is Yosuke's. His room is Room 218. He splits the place with my mentor, Amir."

"Why doesn't Yosuke live with his family?" I asked. "Don't they all live here?"

"They do, but Yosuke's not a young boy anymore!" said Rikku. "We're not little kids just because we're younger than you, David. A year ago, I convinced Amir to let Yosuke live with him. My boyfriend has to learn to become an independent man, after all! Someday, he's going to be the one responsible for Junes! It may no longer be a huge empire like it used to be, but Yosuke's going to have to take on a lot of responsibility! And he's going to have to provide for me, too!"

"So, Amir took him in?"

"Of course he did! Yosuke's family lives right next door, in Room 217, so it's no big deal."

"You'll have to tell me more about Amir sometime," I replied. "He sounds...interesting."

"Well, you could have stayed with him and Yosuke, but you chose not to," Rikku retorted. I felt like reminding Rikku that she hadn't mentioned Amir's existence before giving me the choice, but I refused to indulge the feisty blonde in another argument. Every person I exposed myself to was another person who could betray me and ruin Operation Philanthropy. I needed to think long and hard before committing myself to making any new friends. "You can visit Room 218 anytime, David. Amir's not around often. Our leader keeps him busy. But Yosuke's around all the time, and he's the sweetest, friendliest, most dedicated guy I know!"

"Where will my room be?" I inquired.

"Odessa will tell you. I'll introduce you to her, but then I'm going to take off! I haven't seen Yosuke all day. I hope he's not worried about me!"

Yosuke was undoubtedly enjoying a pleasant vacation away from the ceaseless bombardment of words that oozed out of this girl's mouth. I would owe him an apology for failing to spare him from another one of his terrible migraines.

Rikku took a few moments to compose herself before entering Room 101. Whoever this Odessa woman was, Rikku clearly wanted to maintain an aura of professionalism around her. As she verbally prepared a short introductory speech, I noticed that her voice drifted an octave lower. In the meantime, I had to force myself to withhold from lighting a cigarette. It had been far too long since I last enjoyed the sweet scent of nicotine. As I waited for Rikku to finally make her move, I reminded myself that I owed no particular obligation to the Al Bhed. Operation Philantrophy would depend upon the involvement of individuals from all kinds of organizations, and there were a great many places to venture and recruit in Termina. I could have simply decided to spend one night here, and never return.

At long last, Rikku's natural impulsiveness outweighed whatever dread or anticipation she felt. She opened the door, and I followed her inside.

The room once known as the Principal's Office had been converted to serve a very different purpose. The waiting area now housed a single computer, and the secretary's desk was covered with stacks of papers. Posters adorning the walls detailed all kinds of Al Bhed regulations and threatened punishments upon those who disobeyed. The Al Bhed symbol of an emerald-green colored spiral was prominent in these posters, with its tint matching the color of Rikku's eyes. The actual office where the Principal once worked, separated from the common area by its own wooden door, appeared to be inaccessible to the vast majority of the Al Bhed tribesmen. In contrast to the rest of the safehouse, this area was well-lit, with every electronic appliance benefiting from access to electricity.

Odessa appeared to be the redheaded woman sitting behind the secretary's desk. When Rikku and I entered, she did not bother to lift her gaze to greet us. "Ms. S-S-i-lverberg, m'am!" Rikku said, practically impersonating a seasoned military officer, raising her arm to complete the motion of a half-hearted salute. "Rikku is here and reporting for..."

"That is absolutely unnecessary," said Odessa. A single glance in her direction quickly revealed at least one reason why most of the Al Bhed may have worshipped the ground she stood on. Odessa was an extraordinarily attractive woman, albeit in a way that differentiated her from a woman like Tifa. She was probably only in her mid-twenties, but her authoritative position within the Al Bhed community left a clear mark on her appearance. Her cerulean eyes possessed the piercing stare of a strict librarian, and she exuded an aura of unmatched intelligence and integrity. Her auburn hair, a rare and exquisite raspberry shade, glided down the sides of her neck and ended several inches beneath and behind her shoulders. She flashed a brief smile at me, and I nodded politely in her direction. Odessa had almost certainly anticipated my arrival. She may have been strictly professional, but Odessa did not seem the type of person who held any degree of contempt or distrust towards strangers. I concluded that despite her outward projection of dispassionate proficiency, Odessa was probably either extraordinarily empathic, or dangerously naive.

"My name is David," I said, offering the woman a firm handshake. "Nice to meet you."

"I am Odessa Silverberg. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I assume you're the man that _he_ said would be arriving tonight. If so, you have my sincere gratitude. _He_ has told me many wonderful things, and I look forward to serving you in any capacity I can. So long as you have _his_ blessing, you are honored guest of the Al Bhed," Odessa replied. I found her friendliness and her lofty opinion of me somewhat unsettling. A series of unanswered questions ran through my mind as I wondered exactly who the leader of the Al Bhed was and why he expected me. No figure of such prominence in Link's administration as Luigi Mario, General Mario's younger brother, would have become a leader of a tribe in the slums. Did Luigi contact this Al Bhed leader? If so, why would Luigi lie to Otacon and Phoenix regarding meeting him in Seventh Heaven? If not, who else would be aware of the secret details of my mission? Had someone successfully hacked into our nanotechnology frequencies? Was Operation Philanthropy already at risk of being compromised?

"...I...I don't know what to say to that. Can I ask you who this person is?"

"Rikku and I were explicitly told not to divulge that information until the preordained meeting," Odessa responded. She spoke in a very composed, formal manner, as if she had rehearsed these exact words for weeks. Even still, I could see the subtle tics of displeasure in the fluctuations of her voice, and I could tell she was privately uncomfortable with this arrangement. "Most of the others in Al Bhed do not know him personally, and those that do have been instructed not to address the subject with strangers. I apologize if this answer upsets you, as I am sure you have plenty of questions to ask. I will be of as much use to you as I can, but please understand that I can not defy _his_ instructions. It is through _his _grace that the Al Bhed has become a sanctuary in this city."

Odessa's testimony was probably every bit as biased as Rikku's. Nonetheless, Al Bhed did seem to offer its people some degree of protection from the common ruffians and vagabonds of the slums. Both Rikku and Odessa defied every expectation I had of the kind of independent women I'd find here, which was a positive sign. "Rikku told me I needed to come here to get access to my own room?"

"Ah, I see," Odessa replied. "_He_ made sure to have a room ready for you. However, we have nearly run out of rooms for the members of our tribe, and space is somewhat limited. If we have to buy more real estate from Tommy Vercetti anytime soon...I don't want to think of what he'll charge."

"I understand," I said. "I don't need to stay long..."

"No!" For a split second Odessa lost the façade of her organized and capable persona. Her eyebrows jumped, her eyes widened and the tiniest fraction of a palpable emotion escaped from her. "Please, David. You are an honored guest. I have been given clear instructions. If there is anything you need...anything within certain reasonable moral guidelines, of course...I am to be at your service." That last line was spoken harshly, as if she was spitting out those words. She had seemed so friendly at first, but the slightest unprovoked thought of abusive treatment had led her to be defensive. I wondered if she had a poor history with the men in her life, but Rikku's earlier testimony of Flik seemed to contradict that interpretation.

"Ms. S-Silverberg, I told you it'd be all right! Just leave it to Rikku! I promised you I'd find him at Seventh Heaven, a-and you..."

"Yes. I suspect _he_ will be every bit as shocked as I am. A successful mission, without any unexpected developments...this is a rarity for you," said Odessa, letting a closed smile emerge from the counters of her lips. "I hope this means you're maturing. If so, we may have further use for you in future missions."

"Thank you, Ms. Silverberg! Thanks so much!" Rikku gushed. "I'm so glad!"

"Rikku, please take your leave. I must speak with David alone, and then I must retire for the night," said Odessa. "Flik is waiting for me, and I'm sure Yosuke would like to speak with you."

"Of course, m'am!" Rikku purred. The bundle of energy in the form of a young girl seemed barely able to control herself, as if she was liable to explode at any moment. "David. Feel free to visit me anytime you'd like! If Odessa thinks this highly of you, we'd better become great friends!" She waved in my general direction, then skipped out of the room with the boundless enthusiasm of an elementary schoolgirl. She would have certainly blended in well with her surroundings several years in the past.

Odessa let a long pause drift through the room, waiting for the door to shut before opening her mouth again. "Rikku's a lovely girl. A little overzealous, and unaware of her limitations, but she's a sweetheart. Those contacts she wears...no one could discredit her commitment to Al Bhed."

"Contacts?" I asked.

"Yes, of course. It wouldn't be natural for anyone's pupils to take that shape. Her natural eye color is every bit as blue as mine. The contacts fit her well, and she's not the only one who wears them."

"It sounds like you two have a bit of a history," I said.

"Rikku is young, and about as self-centered and immature as you'd expect from a person her age," said Odessa, apparently oblivious to the fact that she wasn't much older than Rikku. "She's a technical wizard, though, one of the few down here who knows her way around electronic equipment. I have faith she'll be a great asset to Al Bhed."

"I suppose," I said. "But, this room I'll be staying in..."

"Let's cut the small talk for just a moment, shall we, Solid Snake? We should have an honest discussion."

"Yes, now we can...hey. Wait. What?" Odessa's last sentence disturbed me for some...

_Oh. Holy..._

_**Shit.**_

"My old FOXHOUND codename. Solid Snake. How the hell...?"

"You'll find out soon enough," Odessa responded. "Don't worry. _He _and I are the only two that know of your past affiliations and your work as an espionage agent. Even Rikku has been kept in the dark."

"...This...this makes absolutely no sense," I muttered. I was worried. It was bad enough that Rikku knew I was using communications nanotechnology. Now a middle management figure working for a tribe in the slums knew exactly who I was. The ramifications were mind-boggling and the consequences were massive.

"I can tell you're fretting needlessly. You needn't do so, Snake. I can ensure you beyond any doubt that the number of individuals in Termina who know of your presence here, and the details of your mission, could be listed in the single digits. It will remain that way...so long as you understand your situation."

"...Understand my situation?" I asked.

"We are allies, not enemies, Solid Snake," said Odessa. I wasn't sure whether she could be believed. "Still, the Al Bhed tribe cannot meaningfully assist you at this juncture. We lack the resources necessary to even convince the other two tribes in this district to form any sort of legitimate opposition. If you went about telling every Al Bhed what you had in mind, you would put yourself in severe jeopardy. To be honest, Snake, even I am not sure to what extent I could dedicate myself to a cause as lofty as yours."

Otacon and Phoenix would be _infuriated_ to hear this. Phoenix might have actually walked all the way from Kalm to have the satisfaction of berating me in person. Less than twenty-four hours after Operation Philanthropy began, my cover had already been blown. For all of Odessa's enigmatic talk of an alliance, the fact remained that my identity had been exposed, and I was at risk. That feeling of empathy and sincerity I had felt earlier around Odessa, back when Rikku was present…was that all a well-concocted farce? Was I going to be betrayed into the hands of Link's Administration?

"How do you know all this? How do you know who I am? How can I trust you?" I barked.

"Let me answer your questions in reverse order. First, you cannot trust me. Not yet, at least. I am dedicated first and foremost to this tribe. I have sworn my loyalty to the Al Bhed, and not to you. If your mission ever leads you to actively oppose Al Bhed's goals, I will be forced to expose you. You'd best keep that in mind. Second; I know who you are because _he_ told me as much. Without _him_, I would have been utterly clueless to your existence. All I've heard about you are the myths...the legends of who Solid Snake was, what he once accomplished. I've heard stories of the man you once were, and those stories were all wonderful. I imagine many were mere exaggerations of impossible achievements. Nonetheless, she was enamored, and I'll forgive her that. Given all that you accomplished in the name of the people of Midgar, I like you and I respect you. For now. As for the details of your mission, I know you are a member of Operation Philanthropy, yet I don't know much else. Except for the 'killing Link' part. _He_ told me that much. I'd love you to meet _him_, But I'd need your assurance that you wouldn't kill our poor leader the moment you recognized his face. I will not place our leader's health in jeopardy just to satisfy your idle curiosities."

All of Odessa's words are slamming into my chest. I found myself yearning for one of those cigarettes, if only to calm my heart's simmering palpitations. "I'm not leaving here until you..."

"Oh, Snake. If nothing else I've heard of you is true, she certainly was right to call you dense as mud," Odessa exclaimed, a smirk now beaming from her face. I'd find her expression charming under better circumstances. "Please, don't take any of this too personally. There is a role that I must play here, and I am committed to playing it. You have to believe me when I say I only mean you the best. And once you realize exactly who I am, you'll value my friendship as much as I value yours."

My brain felt as if it's going to short-circuit, and it took me a moment to catch my breath. I knew that Odessa was hiding several inconvenient facts from me, and the underlying truth of that revelation tainted the likelihood that she gave the slightest damn about my 'best interests.' Her brief and esoteric description of her leader only heightened a desire to find this stranger and send a bullet through his chest. "Listen, I'm not leaving here until..."

"We can continue this conversation tomorrow, if you wish. You can usually find me in this office. I have a date with Flik, and I'm already late. Please reflect on what I have told you and consider whether an agreement would be in your best interests. If you choose to remain cordial, I will consider introducing you to our leader," said Odessa.

"That's...that's not...come on! This is ridiculous," I shouted. "If you know who I am, you know what I'm capable of. And you should know I deserve your respect. You should give me some goddamn answers."

"What baffles me, Snake, is that you haven't already figured it out," Odessa shrugged, rising from the seat next to her desk and staring wistfully at the ceiling of her office. "Here's your hint: You were wrong about one thing. You're not just a good killer. You are truly a hero. A flawed hero, yes, and one who's made more than his fair share of mistakes. No one is perfect, but you are good enough. The more you deny the truth, the more people you will hurt under a pretense of false humility. And the more people you hurt, the less likely your ambitious operation will succeed."

"Would the blunt, honest truth kill you for a change? Or are you always this cryptic?"

"Oh, no, Snake," Odessa said, as she motioned for the door. The tone of her voice shifted to a higher pitch and her eyes narrowed, but her watchful gaze did not leave me. "I was once a very different woman. I still like to believe there are bits and pieces of my old self, buried within. But then, all the family I had…my father, my sister…they…in these slums, life just marches on, oblivious to anyone's pain and suffering. Sometimes, when I'm with Flik, the magic comes back for a fleeting moment, and I feel whole again. Only sometimes."

For an unexplained reason, I found this most recent confession of Odessa's nearly as disturbing as her prior revelations. "C-can you at least tell me where I should go to sleep tonight? If nothing else?" I said.

"Oh, I nearly forgot. You're in 229-J. J stands for janitorial, of course. There's a card on my desk, with the words 'Temporary Al Bhed ID.' You'll need it to gain unrestricted access to the safehouse. It's yours. Please don't lose it. Finally, here," Odessa said, picking up a key from the pocket of her pantsuit and tossing it to the floor, next to my foot. "That's the key for Room 229-J. Assuming you lock the door, anything you leave in that room won't be stolen from you."

I bent over to the ground and reached for the key, and found the ID card laying on Odessa's desk. "So these are mine?" I said.

"So long as you don't betray Al Bhed, yes," Odessa replied. "And for obvious reasons, Snake. _Don't_ betray our tribe. There would be so little for you to gain, and so much for you to lose."

Under other circumstances, I might have considered strenuously protesting Odessa's demands. At this moment, however, I was absolutely exhausted and I needed to recuperate and regain my composure. Furthermore, Besides, Otacon and Phoenix had important information to share. Now, I had terrifying news of my own to report.

Despite all of this, I reminded myself that I was still _Solid Snake_; I was still the man who made the impossible _possible_. Regardless, I found myself wondering whether Odessa's criticisms were accurate. I wondered if I truly believed I could save Termina. And, at a moment like this, I wondered whether I truly believed Termina was worth saving.

**STATUS:**

**Weapons: **Beretta M9 tranquilizer pistol, six chaff grenades, and six stun grenades.

**Social Links: **  
><strong>**

_Level One: **  
><strong>_Rikku

_**Support Links: **__Phoenix Wright, Hal Emmerich._

**DECISION:**

_**There is no choice for readers to make. **(This update of the narrative has been divided into two chapters.) _


	19. Chapter 7: Exposition Part Two

_**Chapter 7: Exposition (Part Two)**_

_January 14th, 2009_

Spending a night in a janitor's closet did not sound promising, and I opened the door to room 229-J expecting to witness a disastrous sight. For once, I was pleasantly surprised. Though the room only offered a tiny fragment of space, the shelves had been cleaned and dusted, and they were bare of all the cleaning products and ancient artifacts I had expected to find. A mattress lay on the floor, and though its quality was questionable at best, having access to such a simple luxury was unanticipated. A tattered white blanket and a single pillow rested on the bed, and the arrangement was mildly comfortable, although it certainly paled in comparison to my amenities in Kalm. Most importantly, however, an overhead light in the room could be turned on and off by flicking a switch next to the door's frame. The lone bulb did not emit much florescent light, but this was certainly better than crawling about in darkness. The door to this closet could be locked from both sides, providing me an additional degree of security. By the standards of the slums, I was being treated like nobility.

As I set my suitcase one of the closet's several wooden shelves, I discovered the suspicious presence of one other object that caught my eye. A single cardboard box, emptied of all its contents, rested upright in the closet's far corner. A single note, written on a torn piece of paper, had been left next to this gift. Its message was scrawled in tiny, almost illegible font, but its impact only reinforced a gnawing feeling of paranoia that began during my conversation with Odessa. "To Snake. Just like old times, isn't it?"

After such a tiring day, all I could do was collapse onto the mattress. It took a sustained conscious effort to keep my eyes open and remain aware of my surroundings. I wondered whether that conversation with Phoenix and Otacon could wait until tomorrow morning. I had spent nearly all day walking the pilgrim's trek into Termina, and I had been forced to witness brutal sights that could horrify the most mentally detached soldiers. Listening to Rikku run her mouth during those last few hours didn't help much, either. This urgent news that Otacon and Phoenix needed to share with me did not sound promising. Then again, a day like this couldn't possibly get any worse.

_"This is Snake. I've reached a safe haven for the night and I'm pretty damn fatigued. A nice long nap sounds good about now. Can we keep this short?"_

_"...Oh! There you are, Snake. We were wondering if you'd remembered to reach us,"_ Otacon's familiar high-pitched voice rang in my mind. _"Sorry to say this, but there's a lot we need to catch up on. And this is really, really important. I mean, this is huge."_

Crap. It sounded like I wasn't about to enjoy a peaceful descent into the world of dreams. _"All right. What's going on?"_

_"It's General Mario's pet project. It looks like they're finally pressing to finish it. The media wasted no time reporting the 'good news' today,"_ said Otacon, as his tone became increasingly frantic. _"This is awful, Snake. No one in Termina understands just what this means."_

_"Hell, even I don't understand what this means,"_ I muttered. _"You never mentioned General Mario having a 'pet project.' Link's military forces already dominate every corner of Gaia. What more could they ask for?"_

_"It's...it's a new Metal Gear model, Snake,"_ said Otacon, his tone turning somber.

**Metal Gear.** The mere words sent shivers down my spine. The same Metal Gears I had once fought years ago, as a young Foxhound operative. An all-terrain, nuclear-equipped, bipedal tank of mass destruction. I had long assumed that the days of hunting and destroying these infernal weapons were behind me._ "...Metal Gear..."_ I droned, the encompassing nature of the threat fully dawning upon my consciousness, the mere phrase giving entirely new meaning to Operation Philanthropy. _"...Metal Gear. Shit."_

_"I'm not kidding, Snake. I only wish I was,"_ Otacon moaned. _"Especially since this is all my fault. I'm the one who has to repent. I'm the one responsible for..."_

_"What do you mean, Otacon?"_ I hissed, barely controlling the anger that began to boil through my veins. _"How is this your fault? What you have done this time?"_

_"No, S-Snake, it's not quite like that,"_ Otacon responded. _"I m-mean, it's...well..."_

_"It's one of your old blueprints. One of your old designs, isn't it? Tell me the fucking truth, Otacon…damn it all to hell!"_ I yelled, nearly pounding my fist into the floor. _"How could this happen? Why didn't you tell me that Link's Administration had access to your documents? I thought you hacked into your old database of classified files and deleted them..."_

_"I did, Snake, I did!"_ Otacon shouted._ "I have no idea how this happened! But the bottom line is, someone in Link's Administration found my Mako Gear design. They're designing the most powerful Metal Gear yet, as a sign of absolute strength. Once this is finished...Link is going to be unstoppable."_

_"...The Mako Gear design?"_ I asked. _"Why haven't I heard of that one?"_

_"...I...I didn't think it was remotely possible, to be honest. Seriously, Snake. I couldn't work out the kinks. T-there were too many design flaws. I didn't think anyone would be crazy enough to..."_

_"Just tell me what I need to know,"_ I barked. _"How does this design work? What does it do?"_

_"It's...it's extraordinarily complicated. I tried to explain the details to Nick, and he stopped listening about twenty minutes in,"_ Otacon responded. _"I could give you a full diagnostics..."_

_"Just stick to the basics,"_ said Phoenix. _"He wouldn't understand your technical jargon any better than I did."_

_"O-okay,"_ said Otacon. _"Well, the Mako Gear's design is most similar to an advanced Metal Gear Rex model, only larger and better equipped. Of course, the main difference is that this model runs on mako energy."_

_"That's the lifeforce of the planet,"_ I replied. _"The stuff Shinra's goons have been draining from the Earth for generations."_

_"Yes, and it's gotten far worse,"_ Otacon groaned. _"Link's Administration and the Shinra Corporation have been hiding the truth from Termina's citizens. But the entire reason for the Diaspora...when Link forced so many people to move into Termina...was the mako energy crisis. There just isn't enough mako energy enough to supply the entire world, so these days all the energy is just funneled right to Termina."_

_"So, what's the big deal? If it's just a Metal Gear Rex model that runs on mako energy..."_

_"No, Snake, that's not the problem,"_ Phoenix replied, cutting straight to the heart of the matter. _"The problem is the amount of energy this new model uses."_

_"The amount of energy?"_ I inquired. _"What do you mean?"_

_"According to the Neo Kokiri Network, the first Mako Gear prototype is nearly finished,"_ Phoenix said, his voice fluctuating somewhat, as if he was trying to maintain a steadfast composure. _"The Termina military decided to go public with this information, to boast of its newest pride and joy. I'm sure they're hoping this will stop any would-be revolutionaries from thinking twice about opposing Link's regime."_

_"But the first one isn't what we have to worry about,"_ said Otacon. _"Each Mako Gear burns about as much energy in a day as a single reactor would, but that's not a game-changing development. But they're going to mass-produce these machines, Snake. Just before midnight on New Year's Eve, they're going to unleash the mass-production models."_

_"How many?"_ I asked. My question led to a miserable moment of dead silence.

_"...Over a dozen, Snake. That night, they're going to reveal thirteen new Mako Gears,"_ Phoenix sighed. _"And that means..."_

Otacon's voice suddenly burst through my codec, interrupting Phoenix's somber tone with a sudden release of primordial anguish. _"...It means we're doomed, Snake! We're doomed! Every single one of us is doomed!"_

_"...Calm down, Otacon. You're exaggerating things, and that never helps,"_ I said, though I wasn't actually sure if I believed myself. _"I need to know what we're really up against."_

_"For once, Snake, Otacon's absolutely right,"_ said Phoenix. _"Thirteen Mako Gears would demand extraordinary amounts of energy. All these Mako Gears would be connected to Termina's energy network...and according to Otacon's projections, even the best-case scenario in terms of mako demand would..."_

_"...be catastrophic."_

_"Yes, Snake, exactly,"_ Otacon cried. _"This is a surefire recipe for Armageddon. This could mean the end of civilization, or even the end of the planet itself! We can't let this happen. We have to stop Link **before** New Year's Eve."_

_"Hold it! Why would General Mario and Link's military officers condemn themselves to destroying the world? It doesn't make any sense,"_ Phoenix responded. _"Link and his cronies may be corrupt assholes, but they have no incentive to take this kind of a risk. It's ludicrous. They can't be that oblivious to the risks."_

_"Absolute power corrupts absolutely. But you have a point, Wright,"_ I muttered.

_"I don't think anyone in Link's Administration understands the dangers inherent in their mako energy addiction,"_ said Otacon. _"I'm sure the Shinra Corporation has given Link plenty of their ridiculous propaganda. For Link, mako is a surefire engine of massive profits. Why question the source of his financial security?"_

_"It still doesn't make any sense,"_ said Phoenix. _"Termina's military doesn't need more than a single Mako Gear to exert its will around the globe. There must be another reason why Link is investing so much into this project, something we're totally unaware of."_

_"Regardless, I'm going to have to kill Link before December 31st. A time limit. Wonderful news,"_ I said, my inner voice dripping with unabashed sarcasm.

_"Not only that, Snake,"_ said Otacon. _"You're also going to have to destroy the single operational Mako Gear model, and erase any evidence of Mako Gear's existence. The blueprints have to mysteriously vanish. We have to ensure this can never happen again._ _You need to get to Shinra's Headquarters as soon as possible and put a stop to this immediately, Snake. The sooner the..."_

_"**OBJECTION!**"_ Phoenix shouted. _"No offense, Otacon, but I can't disagree more with your statement."_

_"...This isn't a courtroom, Nick,"_ said Otacon. _"You don't need to..."_

_"Listen. Snake needs to develop as many profound, meaningful friendships as possible. He needs to build a core of volunteers who can help him sneak into each new district, and who'll join him in his mission to overthrow the Link Administration. We need to start a massive revolutionary movement, because Snake alone won't accomplish anything,"_ said Phoenix. _"I know you're a world-class covert agent, but Link doesn't just control a ragtag group of a couple hundred terrorists. The entire city of Termina is his base of operations. You can't expect to just sneak your way unopposed. You're going to need all kinds of help."_

_"Nick, Snake can't waste that kind of time! This is the end of the world we're talking about. We can't spend weeks on end listening to people's mundane problems and their meaningless life stories when..."_

_"To the contrary. We have to invest all kinds of time building a strong network,"_ said Phoenix. _"Back when I was solving cases as a rookie attorney, I failed miserably when I tried to go it alone. My cases became less daunting when I learned the value of having friends who cared for my clients every bit as much as I did. I had detectives help me gather evidence, I had forensics experts analyze the clues I offered, I even had friends in the prosecutor's office who were willing to give me the benefit of the doubt..."_

_"You also had legions of underage girls following your every move, if I remember correctly,"_ I quipped, in no mood to withstand another one of the attorney's moralistic lectures on the value of camaraderie. _"That must have been fun. Tell me, Wright, exactly how did those girls contribute to..."_

_"H-hey!"_ Phoenix exclaimed. _"Keep your twisted mind out of the gutter! It wasn't anything..."_

_"...uh-huh. Are you going to tell me it's a long-lasting tradition for greenhorn attorneys to befriend girls that young? Strange...I don't think that's what you should have learned in your law school's ethics classes."_

_"Can we change the subject?"_ yelled Otacon. _"After all, Phoenix isn't the only one of us who's had a history pursuing younger women."_

_"Sorry, Phoenix. After all the flak you caught from the tabloids over the years, I didn't think you'd take a few jabs so seriously,"_ I replied.

_"...Maybe so, but damn, I had to deal with those nasty accusations all the time from Edgeworth,"_ said Phoenix. _"von Karma nearly accused me of statutory rape, without even a shred of evidence. Those girls were close friends of mine, and…"_

_"You miss them dearly, I know. But all you've done since the day you met us in Kalm is complain and whine about how you left them behind, Wright. You have no right to lecture me about the so-called importance of making friends when you couldn't even protect the people you cared for."_

_"Snake!"_ Otacon shouted.

_"Phoenix knows I'm right. For all the advice he offers, he's absolutely incapable of actually taking action when it matters most. That's something his friends know only too well. So spare me the damned lectures and tell me how to take down the Mako Gears."_

I knew I was overreacting, but that knowledge did not prevent the words from spilling forth. I was still angry. I was angry about this revelation of the Mako Gears, angry about the doomsday prophecies and the corruption of Link's Administration. I was furious that Odessa knew my codename, that Luigi Mario was nowhere to be found, that I was too cowardly to take a stand and prevent the abuse of an innocent child, that I watched a man die over a poker game. I was even fuming over wasting a vital day of precious time chatting frivolously with an excitable teenager. My fatigued state of mind certainly wasn't helping matters, but I was taking all this frustration out on the wrong person. I always had qualms with Phoenix over the way he botched his escape from Termina, and the fact that he was too pacifistic to take a stand for the friends he lost during the course of his journey. The fact that I was never told the full story of what actually happened only complicated matters.

But Phoenix was a valuable ally, and a good man, and I was in desperate need of both. _"Look, Wright,"_ I cut through the silence over the Codec line. _"I'm sorry. Rough day."_

_"Eh…it's okay. Happens to the best of us,"_ Phoenix replied. One of his virtues was his ability to readily forgive those he considered his friends. He probably had plenty of firsthand practice dealing with the exasperating quirks and follies of his various assistants. He frequently told me that he kept his negative impressions and feelings to himself. He was probably cussing me out in his thoughts while refusing to air such grievances publicly. Wright was always a lawyer first.

_"O-okay guys, l-let's get back on track here,"_ Otacon suggested. _"The three of us have to work together if we're going to make any substantial progress. We have to brainstorm a plan. We're going to need to think this all through..."_

_"Let's start with where we are right now, at this exact moment,"_ I responded. _"It makes no sense to jump too far ahead of the game."_

_"Okay,"_ said Otacon. _"How did things go today? You're staying someplace safe in the seventh sector slums, right? We just need to a find a way to get you access to the sixth sector as soon as possible..."_

_"Well, we have more immediate problems than that,"_ I explained. _"This Al Bhed tribe. Their leader knows exactly who I am."_

_"Yeah, I noticed,"_ Phoenix said. _"I was caught off-guard when I overheard that Odessa person. Who is she? Have you met her before?"_

_"...W-wait a second. I wasn't listening to the Codec frequency at that time. What are you two talking about?"_ asked Otacon.

_"It's more bad news,"_ I replied, while barely restraining a yawn. _"That girl I met in Seventh Heaven, Rikku. I thought she was working for Luigi Mario. It turns it she has...other connections. Rikku was able to recognize that I was using communications nanotechnology. But, even worse...this Odessa woman she works for...she knew my old codename. She called me 'Solid Snake.' And she keeps referring to the leader of the Al Bhed as the source of this information. It sounds as if I'm being blackmailed into doing this tribe's dirty work."_

_"W-wait. This Odessa person called you Solid Snake?"_ Otacon sputtered. _"Oh dear. This is terrible. Your cover's been blown already? How could this have happened?"_

_"It's not the end of the world,"_ I replied. Actually, it was, but that was beside the point. _"I'm pretty sure only Odessa and this Al Bhed leader figure know my real identity. If I can find some way to make sure they keep their mouths shut..."_

_"...Are you planning on killing the leader of one of the seventh sector's three tribes?"_ Phoenix exclaimed. _"...Snake. I know you're running on empty fumes right now, but don't be foolish. That kind of brazen attack could lead to disaster."_

_"It may be necessary. Odessa is a wonderful sweet-talker, but how can I tell if she's lying through her teeth? She says she likes me and she respects me, but the only people who'd know my Foxhound code name and the only people who'd be aware of nanotechnology. They'd have to be Foxhound agents, themselves. And Foxhound disbanded after the Shadow Moses incident, nearly a decade ago."_

_"Right," _said Otacon. _"Afterwards, the three of us formed Philanthropy." _

_"The three...of us?"_ Phoenix inquired. _"But I didn't...I mean, I didn't leave Termina until..."_

_"Oh, no, I wasn't referring to you, Nick,"_ said Otacon. _"We had...a third member, at the time. She's...she's no longer with us."_

_"Meryl...the other survivor from the Shadow Moses incident,"_ I said. The woman I thought I loved, too, the one I felt destined to spend my life with. Did I truly love her? It was difficult to say. _"She died in 2003. She bought into Avalanche's message of change, joined that movement, and infiltrated Termina, all against my advice. We still don't know exactly what happened to her." _

_"Yeah...Meryl...I really miss her,"_ Otacon sighed. _"She was a strong woman, a real tomboy. One of the only women I could imagine standing toe-to-toe with Solid Snake...one of those feisty redheads who always wanted to follow her own path. Headstrong, maybe, but..."_

Feisty redheads...something about Otacon's comments struck me as a bit suspicious.

_"Hey, Otacon. Do you remember anything Meryl or the Colonel said about their personal lives? Meryl was raised in Termina, right?"_

_"Yeah...in the district now known as Neo Hyrule, I think,"_ Otacon responded. _"She didn't talk much about her family. There was a lot of melodrama with her relationship with the Colonel. But I'm sure you know that story better than I do. For Nick's sake…the Colonel and her mother had an affair for several years, despite the fact that her mother was married to another man. The Silverberghs were an affluent family, and rumors in the tabloids suggested that Papa Silverbergh was...stuck in a closet, one more metaphorical than the one Snake's actually sleeping in. If you catch my drift."_

_"...Silverbergh?"_

_"Yeah, don't you remember? Meryl may have been Colonel Campbell's daughter, but she was still raised as a Silverbergh. She didn't learn who her real biological father was until the events of Shadow Moses. How did you manage to forget all that? I thought you were desperately in love with her!"_

Meryl and I did enjoy a brief relationship after Shadow Moses, but we were never quite as close as Otacon seemed to believe we were. Neither of us shared Otacon's idealistic notions of a fairy-tale romance between star-crossed lovers. _"...and you're absolutely sure Meryl is dead?"_

_"...Positive, Snake. You saw the photographs. You heard the stories. Besides, Meryl would have tried to contact us if she were still alive. She still had those nanomachines inside her. The last transmission I received from her was dated July 19th, 2003, the day before she was killed."_

_"...you're absolutely, positively sure, then."_

_"...Yes, Snake. This is no time to get sentimental on me, all the sudden. Remember how nanotechnology works? Electronic data is sent to my computer the moment your brain stops functioning. I don't think Meryl would fake her own death..."_

And besides, if she was faking her own death, she probably wouldn't still be using her own last name. _"...Otacon. That Odessa woman. Her last name was Silverbergh."_

_"...Odessa Silverbergh? ...**the **Odessa Silverbergh? She's in the seventh sector slums? ...Snake, why didn't you tell me earlier?"_ Otacon shouted.

_"I should be asking you the same question. How do you know this woman?"_ I asked.

_"...Snake, don't be so naive. I've never met Odessa. I've only heard about her. Didn't you bother asking Meryl any questions about her personal life? You two were dating for months!"_

_"...Don't be ridiculous. I killed Meryl's father, Otacon. Her family was the last thing we wanted to discuss...oh, shit. ...You're kidding me. You've got to be fucking kidding me. I thought Meryl was an only child!"_

_"...I'm afraid not, Snake. Odessa Silverbergh is Meryl's younger sister,"_ said Otacon. _"They're both Colonel Campbell's daughters."_

_"…What the hell,"_ I replied. _"This doesn't make any sense. Why would a Silverbergh move below the plates and subject herself to poverty?"_

_"I don't know, Snake, but based on what I've heard...it sounds like she was expecting you,"_ Otacon muttered. _"Meryl must have mentioned you sometime after she returned to Termina. Maybe Odessa was involved in the Avalanche revolution. Maybe not. But..."_

_"...Maybe she's a part of this blackmail scheme,"_ I said. _"Maybe this leader of the Al Bhed found this woman, thought I'd be more likely to trust her. There's still something suspicious about this situation. Even if Odessa is Meryl's sister...it doesn't explain how she'd know so much about Operation Philanthropy. It doesn't explain how she could have anticipated my presence here and now."_

_"...No, but there's only one easy explanation that comes to mind, based on the available evidence,"_ said Phoenix. _"If I were a betting man, I'd wager the leader of the Al Bhed would have to been involved with Foxhound. It's the only way to explain away these discrepancies. It'd also give Odessa a viable motive for working with this man, and a reason for the two of them to have met. Anyone who knew Colonel Campbell..."_

_"That's impossible,"_ I hissed. _"Foxhound virtually imploded on itself. I killed the vast majority of them after most of them rebelled against Shinra in the Shadow Moses incident."_ That had been when I was still staunchly loyal to Midgar, when I was young and naive. _"The genome soldiers wouldn't be capable of pulling this kind of a stunt. Any surviving Foxhound member would never want to work with me again."_

_"What about Raiden?"_ Otacon asked.

_"Don't delude yourself, Otacon. If Raiden is still alive, he wouldn't be anywhere near Termina. We've tried to contact Jack for years, and he's never responded. Why would he become leader of an impoverished tribe out in the middle of the forgotten wastelands?"_

_"It was just a thought,"_ Otacon mused.

_"An extraordinarily unlikely one,"_ I responded. _"Besides, if Raiden was leading the Al Bhed, he wouldn't have me jumping through hoops for the opportunity to meet him. He wouldn't resort to thinly veiled attempts at blackmail."_

_"...Well, I can't think of anyone else who'd know all about nanotechnology, who'd know about your past with Foxhound, and who'd want to work alongside you,"_ said Otacon. _"No one else seems to fit."_

_"We'll find out soon enough. It's not worth wasting a night's sleep over,"_ I said. _"If you'll both excuse me. I'm absolutely drained and I need to get some rest. We can continue this conversation later. In the meantime, just keep brainstorming ideas. We need to figure out what to do next."_

_"Just remember, Snake,"_ said Otacon. _"We only have until **December 31st** of this year. I know that sounds like a lot of time, but this isn't going to be a cakewalk. You can't waste too much time in a single sector, but you need to garner as much support as you can. I'm not exactly sure how you should balance your time, but..."_

_"...I'll keep track of it. Don't worry so much, Otacon. We've dealt with Metal Gears before and we'll deal with them again. As for Link...he may be the President of Termina, but he's only a single man. Elf. Whatever he is,"_ I asserted. _"We will succeed where Avalanche failed."_

The soft, cushioned pillow beckoned me into its sweet embrace, providing me temporary respite from all the questions I struggled to answer.

**_January 15th, 2009_**

The conveniences of communication nanotechnology included an alarm that only I could hear. I was awoken, refreshed and alert, at precisely seven in the morning.

I had several immediate concerns.

First and foremost, I needed to establish my priorities of tasks to accomplish today. Was it too soon to confront Odessa, or could I demand answers from her immediately? I now knew who she was, but I was still left with several unanswered questions. Could I just march into the Al Bhed headquarters and demand an audience with the leader? Or should I attempt to build an implicit level of trust with the Al Bhed organization and its members first? I could pursue leads in the marketplace without Rikku, or return to Seventh Heaven and hope Luigi had made his presence known. I could even attempt to speak with Vercetti, or learn more about the tribes competing with the Al Bhed in this sector.

I had plenty of options to choose, and many leads worth pursuing, but I could only accomplish one task at a time.

**STATUS:**

**Weapons: **Beretta M9 tranquilizer pistol, six chaff grenades, and six stun grenades.

**Social Links: **  
><strong>**

_Level One: **  
><strong>_Rikku

_**Support Links: **__Phoenix Wright, Hal Emmerich._

**DECISION:**

**_What should Snake do today? _**

_(Voters could select **two** choices. Snake was guaranteed to attempt the most-voted option and would move onto the second most popular choice if his progress was hindered.) _

**A:** Knock on the door to Room 217. _(Not chosen, zero votes.) _  
><strong>B:<strong> Knock on the door to Room 218. _(Not chosen, six votes.) _  
><strong>C:<strong> Knock on the door to Room 134. _(Not chosen, four votes.) _  
><strong>D:<strong> Go to the Al Bhed cafeteria. _**(Chosen, nine votes.) **_  
><strong>E: <strong>Visit Room 101. **_(Alternate option, seven votes.) _**  
><strong>F:<strong> Walk to the Al Bhed Headquarters across the street. _(Not chosen, zero votes.) _  
><strong>G: <strong>Travel to Tommy Vercetti's Headquarters. _(Not chosen, one vote.) _  
><strong>H: <strong>Stay in Room 229-J; converse with Phoenix and Otacon. _(Not chosen, one vote.) _  
><strong>J:<strong> Go back to Seventh Heaven. _(Not chosen, four votes.) _  
><strong>K: <strong>Revisit the seventh sector marketplace. _(Not chosen, two votes.) _


	20. Chapter 8: Mandalore the Preserver

_**Chapter 8: Mandalore the Preserver **_

_January 15th, 2009_

The Al Bhed Cafeteria was a cornucopian mess, littered with piles of the plastic remnants of half-eaten meals. The room reeked of an otherworldly smell, and it was painfully obvious that no janitor had recently cleaned this cesspit. That should not have surprised me, given my recent accommodations and given the general state of this sorry safehouse. I had dealt with worse scents than rotten food, however, and I was hungry enough to eat nearly anything placed on my plate. The yellow curd I was offered was supposedly scrambled eggs, but it tasted more like smoldering rubber. I could not complain; a free meal was a blessing. I was still better nourished than the average citizen in the slums.

The cafeteria was virtually empty when I arrived, and I decided to sit at a table in the far corner, in order to avoid unnecessary confrontations. Odessa and Rikku knew I was here, and the Temporary ID card was enough to convince the woman working behind the counter that I deserved a free breakfast. To most the others, however, I was a stranger with no affiliation to the Al Bhed. My mere presence could have been misconstrued as a threat. It probably would have been smarter to knock on Rikku's door first, and ensure the presence of a familiar face. Even in this secluded corner, I stood out like a sore thumb. I suspected that I would have to maintain a low profile until I had performed actions that proved my loyalty to the Al Bhed.

"You cheap, pathetic son of a bitch!" A deep, husky voice called out. I turned just in time to notice two burly men approaching my table. I recognized one of the two soldiers as a security guard, one of the men with rifles who was guarding the front entrance to the safehouse. For a moment, I wondered if I was the 'bitch' in question, but it looked like the two men weren't paying me any particular attention. They seemed to be engaging in their own argument, but their booming voices ensured everyone else in the cafeteria heard their conflict.

"What the hell is the matter with you, Canderous? Are you trying to make a scene? Shut your damn mouth," the dark-skinned man yelled at his counterpart, barely maintaining his composure.

"I haven't been paid last month's salary, and you're asking _me_ to keep quiet? I'm not going to work for a free meal, not when Vercetti would..."

"Vercetti wouldn't dare hire a washed-up piece of shit like you. You're just an old, decrepit ex-mercenary who can't accept he's nothing more than a relic from a bygone era. Maybe I just thought 'the glory of battle' would compensate your so-called 'services.' Or maybe you're just..."

"Shut up, Jax. You told me you'd pay five-hundred gil a month," said the grey-haired man with the strange name. "And I expect to be paid."

"I'm not going to pay you for standing inside an elementary school's entryway for the past seven goddamn weeks! You want to get paid? Why don't you actually _do _something worthwhile for a change," said the bald man with the dark goatee, the one apparently known as Jax.

"And I keep telling you, we need more men or more ammunition!" Canderous barked. "You expect me to run into Anthro territory and make an ass out of myself on some half-baked suicide mission? I'm brave, but not foolish."

"If you really were the great tactician you pretend to be, Canderous Ordo, you wouldn't hesitate to take a chance to prove your worth. You waste your night in the tavern talking up a storm with your ancient tales of warrior codes and daredevil missions, but when you're asked to actually do something you just hightail it right back to the sordid comfort of your booze. Some so-called 'hero.' More like a burned-out has-been."

"There's a difference between well-executed military strategy and your halfwit plans masquerading as tactics. If you want me to risk my ass for your precious tribe, I want enough supplies and enough manpower to do the job right. That's not cowardice. That's just diligence. You should understand the difference, Jackson Briggs."

"It's just sad, Ordo, when a teenage girl accomplished more for our tribe than you have in the past month. Maybe I shouldn't feign shock. At least she understands the concept of commitment. You pretend that you're some legendary soldier, but there's a difference between you and the real legends. Real soldiers fight for a cause, for something greater than themselves. But you? All you care about is the skin on your back, and the stories you can share in seedy taverns. Why don't you just enjoy your free breakfast and leave me the fuck alone," said Briggs, in a tone of utter disdain.

"I'm not leaving here until I'm _paid,_ you understand?" Canderous growled, kicking over a nearby chair. "You give me the gil, or I'm going to Odessa's office and demanding compensation. Your choice. I'd rather not escalate this."

Jackson Briggs folded his arms around his chest, curling his fingers into fists. He stared down his apparent rival, and did not seem intimidated by Ordo's outburst. "If you want to go cry to mommy for help, go right ahead. Odessa won't cave in to your whining ass. It'd be fun to watch you be thoroughly humiliated by a woman. So go ahead, tough guy."

Canderous' bluff had been called, and now he hesitated for a crucial moment, as a smirk grew on Jackson's face. "Hmph. You want me to prove my worth? Fine. You pay me two-hundred fifty gil, up front, no strings. That will be enough for me to purchase my own supplies. If you're not going to properly equip your soldiers, at least give the opportunity to do so myself."

"So now you're willing to negotiate?" Jax said, letting a soft, two-syllable chuckle emerge from his lips. "You're just like any other mercenary, Ordo. Childish hissy hits aside, all you care about is the money. Al Bhed's practically broke as it is, and you're still trying to fleece us. But...we need to make a statement against the Anthros, and restore our reputation. So...exactly what will you do for us? I won't pay you two-hundred fifty gil just to see some green graffiti tags on Anthro turf."

Canderous laughed, finally regaining some measure of confidence. "I'll do much better than that, Briggs. I'll steal one of the emeralds. That should knock the Anthros down a few pegs on the totem pole. But I expect full compensation for my services. I want at least _a thousand_ gil after I'm finished. And, I want backup. At least give me Mitsurugi."

Jackson's brows furrowed as he seemed to contemplate Canderous' offer. "Two-hundred gil up front, seven-hundred after you're done, nine-hundred gil total. I can't convince Odessa to part with any more than that. As for Mitsurugi...I'll talk to him, but I can't make any promises. Deal?"

"No, Briggs. Two-hundred fifty up front and at least seven-hundred fifty after with Mitsurugi, nine-hundred without. I'm not going any lower than that. Those are my terms. Take them or leave them, but if you don't offer me a fair deal, I'll make sure Odessa knows you've skimped out on my payments. And if Vercetti won't hire me, maybe the Anthros will make an exception and let a human join their..."

"If you make one more unbelievable threat, Ordo, the deal's off the table. I'll have you locked up on sedition charges. Remember, I'm the Marshall of the Al Bhed. I _am _the law. I can make your life miserable without even blinking an eye."

Canderous shrugged, attempting to convey an aura of utter indifference, before offering Jackson his right hand. "So be it. You got yourself a deal, Jax. But if you don't pay up as you promised...there will be consequences. I swear it on the grave of every Mandalorian."

"And if you ever dare betray Al Bhed, I will personally send a bullet straight through that thick skull of yours, Canderous. Then you'll have the opportunity to join your brethren in the afterlife."

"Always a _pleasure_ doing business with you, you pompous bastard."

"You as well, ignorant grunt. You'll need to wait at least a day for us to procure the funds for your spending spree. Until then...have fun guarding our lovely entryway," Jax retorted, giving his mercenary underling a faux salute before walking away.

Canderous let out a hearty sigh, as if he had acknowledged a great burden on his shoulders. I stared at the mercenary a moment too long, and his eyes markedly noticed my presence. He took a few heavy steps in my direction. "Enjoying your meal, stranger?"

I motioned for Canderous to take a seat. At the very least, he seemed a decent source for relatively unbiased information about the Al Bhed. Despite our differences, I also sensed a common sort of bond between Ordo and I. We were both older combatants, men past our primes, still trying to make a living doing the only thing we understood. "Tastes like crap. What about you?"

"...I'm not very hungry, anymore," said Canderous. "I apologize for disrupting your meal. What you just witnessed was...a traditional sort of negotiation between Jackson and I. It's just the way we get things done."

"I understand," I responded. "I've been in those kinds of situations before. Men like Jackson think they know about the battlefield, all while marching us poor grunts to our deaths."

"Right," Canderous said, with a knowing smile. "They get all the glory, but we do all the dirty work. And they expect us to do it for free. I'm guessing you're a merc, too?"

I wouldn't have to deliberately deceive Canderous with this answer. "...You could say that. I have my own agenda. It's not about the money, though..."

"...It's about honor. The glory of battle. The promise of victory. Yes. You have that glint in your eyes, the look of someone who's shed blood. It's nice to finally meet another person in this festering hellhole who understands," Canderous beamed. "Tell me. What kind of weapon do you use? What's your style?"

"Any _true_ mercenary knows that highly confidential information," I replied. "Let's just say I can handle nearly anything."

"Hmm. Very clever of you. What's your name?"

"You can call me David. I'm new in town. I used to work for Claude, in sector six," I said, as we exchanged a vigorous handshake. That last part, of course, was an absolute lie, but I suspected Canderous would be impressed with that information, and he most likely wouldn't know the first thing about Claude's hired hands.

"Don't tell me. You working for Tommy Vercetti, now? You could get in a lot of trouble with these folks if..."

"...No, no. That's not true," I exclaimed. Sometimes, I had to remind myself, a perfectly innocuous lie can have unintentionally disastrous ramifications. "I once worked for Claude, a while back. I'd appreciate it if you kept that information quiet, though. I don't want anyone here misinterpreting things." Odessa and Rikku could both easily contradict my little fib, after all. I was beginning to regret my deliberate attempt at deception already, but I needed to garner Canderous' trust.

"I see," Ordo responded. "You must be that new guy, the one Rikku was supposed to bring here. I heard a few rumors about that. Al Bhed must have been really desperate for your services. If so, that must mean you're good. Maybe...maybe I could make you an offer."

"Please, elaborate," I said. Even though I had little interest in getting involved in skirmishes between sector seven's ailing tribes, Canderous might present me an opportunity I couldn't refuse.

"You know about the Anthros, right? Most of them were banned from citizenship in Termina outright after they resisted the Diaspora. It took Link and his goons a while to rein them in, and the authorities upstairs been bitter ever since. Especially General Mario..."

"I think I remember that. That Sonic character, the leader of the Anthro resistance. He was a real thorn in Mario's side," I muttered.

"And now he's dead, like most honorable men are these days," said Canderous. "Sonic's successor, a close friend of his, leads one of the three tribes in these wastes. The Anthros. Vercetti leased them some open space in what used to be a public green, before the city was built and sunlight became a...rare commodity. The Anthros just know it as a barren wasteland."

"So, let's cut to the chase. What's so important about this emerald you're after?" I asked.

"Well, it's supposedly a powerful artifact. Even more powerful than materia," Canderous replied. "I have my doubts, but the Al Bhed believe the stories. That the emeralds can grant some form of super-speed, even temporary invulnerability. It would at least explain why the Anthros are winning."

"The Anthros are...winning?"

"Yeah, no shocker there. The Anthros don't let most humans in, but because of the discriminatory restrictions against Anthros in Termina, there's an awful lot stuck here. And they're angry. _Really _pissed off. Anthros hate cities, they feel much more comfortable out in nature. They've been locked into the slums for a long time, and it's irritated them. Some blame the Anthros for starting these turf wars between the tribes. I'm sure Vercetti's adding plenty of fuel to the fire," Canderous elaborated. "The Al Bhed was the tribe most dependent on technology, firearms and computers and such. So when Termina cut back on mako energy for the slums...they got screwed over."

"And the third tribe?" I inquired. "What about them?"

"Bah. They're practically invisible, and pretty much irrelevant," said Canderous. "Don't waste your time worrying about the Necros. Everyone says they're powerful magicians. But they haven't done shit lately. They'll only bother you if you intrude on their turf."

Something about Canderous' vague description of this tribe didn't sit well from me, but I suspected I wouldn't get any more information about the Necros from him. "...So, you're going to steal this emerald. And I'm guessing you're going to ask for my help."

"If you're up for it, I'll tell Jax that I won't need Mitsurugi. We can go infiltrate the Anthros' base together, and I'll split the gil with you, fifty-fifty."

I tapped a finger against the cafeteria table. "How can I be sure you'll keep your end of the bargain?"

"I told you before," said Canderous. "Let Jackson believe what he wants, but I'm not his definition of a typical mercenary. I don't just care about the money. The gil is virtually meaningless to me. We only fought over the terms because he insults me by underestimating my worth. All I want is to experience the thrill of a good fight, that glory I once felt on the battlefield. And, I want to live to tell the tale."

"Hmm..." I wondered whether this mission was really such a good idea. I could use the mission to become friends with Canderous Ordo, and I did desperately need the gil. The consequences of getting caught in the middle of the heist could be disastrous, though. This kind of job also seemed more appropriate for a thief, and Canderous and I were both trained combatants, not burglars.

"Well, you can think about it. And if you want to split your portion of the gil, or if you can make some other kind of deal...you're free to invite more help. I won't allow any more than _three people_ to go on the mission. That means me, you, and somebody else. We could go with Mitsurugi. I expect he'd be excited for some action."

"If I decide to go along for the ride, when would we be leaving?" I asked.

"The night of **_January 18th_** sounds like the best bet to me. Make sure not to make other plans," said Canderous. "Anyway, you can meet me in Room 205, that's where I live. If you don't find me there in the evening, you'll probably find me in the tavern. We can discuss the plans to infiltrate the Anthros' park any time between now and then. I hope you're pretty good with covert operations..."

_Good?_ This man had no idea of his good fortune; he was ignorant of the fact that he was potentially allying with Gaia's most renowned stealth operative. Unlike Canderous, however, I was not the type to boast. "Heh. I wonder..."

"Well, what do you think? Are you up for some fun, or should I look for backup elsewhere?" asked Canderous.

I needed to give Canderous an answer, and fast. I suspected he wasn't the type of man who'd appreciate any further hesitation on my end. I needed to commit now, or he'd probably find another suitable partner for the heist. Was the emerald Canderous sought really worth the effort to procure it? Would succeeding in the mission anger the Anthros, or please the Al Bhed? Could I turn around and use the emerald as a bargaining tool with Vercetti? Did I really need the gil, or could I find a safer way to make the money I needed? And, what would happen if Canderous and I failed the mission?

In the back of mind, I also had another choice to deliberate. I had been wondering whether to speak with Odessa, or visit Yosuke and Amir's room. On the one hand, I wanted to confront Odessa with the knowledge that she was Meryl's sister, and I wanted to see how she'd react. Would she allow me access to visit this mysterious leader of the Al Bhed anytime soon? I needed to understand whether I was really being blackmailed, and I needed to make a decision as to whether I'd play along with the Al Bhed...or betray them and sell their information to another bidder. Alternatively, Amir could make an ideal "third person" to join this little heist. Beyond Canderous' operation, there was an argument to be made that Amir's friendship could be more valuable than procuring more information. But would this complete stranger be interested in making my acquaintance? Would Amir even be there, or would I be stuck chatting with Rikku's teenage boyfriend?

Canderous stood up from his chair and seemed ready to leave. "So, David. What's your answer? Are you going to chicken out, or are you going to man up and prove you're as tough as you sound?"

**STATUS:**

**Weapons: **Beretta M9 tranquilizer pistol, six chaff grenades, and six stun grenades.

**Social Links: **  
><strong>**

_Level One: **  
><strong>_Rikku

_**Support Links: **__Phoenix Wright, Hal Emmerich._

**DECISIONS:**

****1: _What should Snake tell Canderous?_****

**A: **Politely decline his offer. _(Not chosen, zero votes.)  
><em>**B: **Accept his offer, and insist the two can handle the mission alone. **_(Chosen, 13 votes.)  
><em>****C: **Accept his offer, but insist Mitsurugi also receives an invitation. _(Not chosen, zero votes.)  
><em>**D: **Accept his offer, but insist Rikku also receives an invitation. _(Not chosen, zero votes.)  
><em>**E: **Accept his offer, but insist Amir also receives an invitation. _(Not chosen, one vote.)  
><em>**F: **Vehemently decline his offer, and threaten to expose Canderous' plan to the Anthros. _(Not chosen, zero votes.)_

**2: _Where should Snake go next?_**

**Y: **Go to Yosuke and Amir's room and knock on the door. **_(Chosen, 13 votes.) _  
>Z: <strong>Go to Odessa's room and knock on the door. _(Not chosen, one vote.) _


	21. Chapter 9: The Timeless Traceur

_**Chapter 9: The Timeless Traceur**_

_January 15th, 2009_

Canderous Ordo's piercing slate eyes remained fixed on me as he awaited his answer. His composed facial expression, complete with furrowed brows and pursed lips, refused to reveal any hint of displeasure. Nonetheless, his fingers fidgeted furiously and exposed the true extent of his impatience. My hesitation was largely due to my intrinsically cautious nature. Unlike Canderous, I was not a man to eagerly dive headfirst into risky situations. Could we really compose a foolproof plan to steal a prized possession of the Anthros in three days? Was this emerald really worth the possibility of antagonizing the seventh sector slum's most dominant tribe? I felt that I lacked enough essential information to make a full commitment, but I expected that answer would not satiate my militaristic comrade. Besides, any insecurities I felt at that moment were likely ill-founded. I was, after all, _Solid Snake_. I was the best-ranked clandestine operative to ever serve the interests of the country once known as Midgar. Not too long ago, I garnered a reputation for sneaking past legions of terrorists and battling metallic monstrosities. It seemed unlikely that I would struggle to swipe a piece of jewelry from a comparatively disorganized civilian clan.

Despite our many differences, Canderous and I seemed to have a lot in common. We were both aging warriors from bygone eras, holding onto the nostalgia of better days in our respective pasts. The mere fact that Canderous had fought in real battles before differentiated him from the majority of people I was likely to meet in these slums. I was not sure he was trustworthy, but his straightforward and candid approach seemed a breath of fresh air from the kind of intentionally vague, manipulative bluster I'd heard from Odessa. I had never heard of the 'Mandalorians' before, so I suspected that Canderous was not originally from Termina. If Canderous kept his pride and aggression in check, a combat veteran with his level of experience would make a great asset.

Though the intangibles of this stealth mission made its undertaking far from a flawless endeavor, there were three very palpable benefits in making the investment; Ordo's trust, Al Bhed's support, and half the gil. The latter was my most pressing concern. I was broke. Otacon and Phoenix suspected that any money I attempted to bring into Termina would be stolen by the soldiers working the border patrols, and they were probably right. Subsequently, I left Kalm with no money in my possession. Bringing an excessive stockpile of gil would only endanger my cover before I had even entered the metropolis' soft underbelly.

Even without the monetary incentive, Canderous' mission offered other tantalizing advantages. Despite all my latent combat abilities, I was simply an anonymous grunt to most in the Al Bhed tribe. To give Operation Philanthropy a fighting chance of succeeding, I had to first assert my worth as a dependable and trustworthy ally. There were many crazy prophets throughout the slums preaching messages of 'revolution' and 'change.' My movement had to represent something more than idle words and unproven theories. While I needed to remain in the shadows, with my true intentions hidden from those in power, I had to simultaneously establish myself as a growing threat to Termina's establishment and an alternative to Link's oppression. To truly succeed, I had to almost become a mythological beast, with a daunting reputation familiar to everyone. Yet the man behind the mask had to remain hidden in plain sight, a figure that no enemy could easily find or identify.

All my brooding introspection seemed lost on Canderous. "...Damn it, what the hell's wrong with you, David? Are you going to answer my question anytime today, or should I come back tomorrow?"

"Sorry. My mistake. I was just...thinking things through," I responded. "We'll need to plan this out thoroughly beforehand, because we can't afford to make any mistakes. But...I think I'm in. I think we can do this."

Any trace of annoyance almost instantaneously evaporated from Canderous' face, as the silver-haired mercenary broke out into an effervescent smile. "I knew you wouldn't let me down. I'll be sure to let Mitsurugi..."

"No, that won't be necessary. Don't sell yourself short, Canderous. We're both experienced fighters, and any more backup would only slow us down. This kind of mission depends on our ability to remain undetected. The more people that tag along for the ride, the more likely we'll be discovered."

Apparently, the words from my mouth composed graceful music in Ordo's ears. "...Really? You still think old man Canderous has some magic left in the tank? I'm impressed. You're about the first one in this forsaken safehouse to have that kind of faith in me. The way Jackson rants and raves, you'd think I was just run-down another piece of trash."

I hoped Canderous would not prove Jackson right in three days. "...Yeah, I've heard the same crap before, too. Once, not too long after a successful operation, I was...rudely informed that my organization had taken measures to _replace_ my services. They brought in a new kid, barely twenty years old, thought he represented a brighter future. For a year or so, I was put out to pasture, and the kid was given all the tough assignments. He was young, they said. Athletic. Charming. Vibrant. Then..."

"Then he got himself killed, right?" said Canderous. "All that shit about charm and skills and body condition, it doesn't mean anything if you're too inexperienced to avoid a bullet to your brain."

"...No, not quite. I'll give the kid some credit. He was too strong to be killed easily," I reminisced. "He had a mental breakdown. He witnessed something terrible. When he returned...he just wasn't the same person. Something had snapped. He was too young to handle the pressure, so he just vanished."

"Hmph. Sounds to me like sheer cowardice," Canderous barked. "Some boys just aren't built to handle the brutality of war."

"Maybe so," I replied. "In the end, my commander learned that experience trumped raw ability. Anyone can be born with certain talents. The kind of experience you and I have, and the knowledge that comes with every battle fought... it's not something that's inherited. It's not hard-boiled into our genetic codes. We earned our stripes the hard way, and that separates men like us from the pack."

"And that's why we should do this alone," said Canderous. "We'll prove just what we're capable of. And then, the Al Bhed will recognize our worth. Jackson won't try to send me out on these mundane little treasure hunts anymore. I like where you're going with this."

"Right," I said. "Though, diving headfirst into Anthro territory...we can't afford to take the risks lightly. Do you have access to a map of their park? If not, we'll need to find one."

"I'll see what I can do, but I can't make any promises," responded Canderous. "It's been a long time since the slums have had any form of legitimate government. If a map did exist, it would be an ancient relic. That wouldn't be much help, given how much the seventh sector has changed. We may have to rely on a preliminary scouting mission to give us an idea of what we'll be up against. But the Anthros won't welcome us, even as civilians. We're humans. They'd be suspicious."

"I'm not so convinced," I replied. "The Anthros may appear to be isolationists, but they wouldn't survive if they attempted to forgo _any_ contacts with humans. After all, they had to barter with Vercetti for the land. Without human allies, the Anthros would have limited access to food, water, and other necessities. There must be humans in this area who are covertly assisting the Anthros. We'll just need to ask around, gather as much intel as possible."

"Regardless," said Canderous, "we have to start this mission on the night of the eighteenth. So we don't have much time."

"We have more than enough," I retorted. "We'll discuss the details later. In the meantime, I'm going to pursue every lead and learn as much as I can about these Anthros."

"Sounds like a plan, David," Canderous exclaimed. "Remember what I said earlier. You can meet me anytime in my room, or in the Al Bhed tavern. You'll probably find me in one of those two places. I'll be waiting for you. And..."

There was an awkward moment of silence that transpired, as Canderous seemed to struggle to find the right words to say. "Is something wrong?"

"And...I just wanted to...thank you. Thanks for believing in my abilities. It's been a long while since the last time I was looking forward to a mission. You've sparked that old fire in my veins, and it feels _damn_ good to be alive again."

I could tell that Canderous was uncomfortable with the thought of expressing gratitude to another person. His eyes darted from left to right, as if he didn't want his reputation sullied by this grave admission. I understood his sentiments perfectly; not long ago, I had similar difficulties acknowledging a dependence on the friendships of others. Meryl and Otacon had to break me from a similar lone-wolf mindset. "Cut the crap, Canderous. We're mercenaries, not lovesick teenagers. If you're still alive after this mission is over, then we can celebrate."

Canderous smiled and nodded emphatically. "I'm looking forward to it. In the meantime, if you want anything done _right_... be sure to stop by and ask." After that final statement, we both parted our separate ways. Though this clandestine operation required plenty of planning, another thought preoccupied my mind. Earlier, I had decided that I needed to pay a visit to the room of Rikku's boyfriend, Yosuke, and her mentor, Amir. The more connections I developed within Al Bhed, the more leverage I'd acquire to force a meeting with their enigmatic leader. Canderous had the potential to become a dependable ally, but he lacked strong affiliations to the tribe he served. My acquaintanceship with Rikku gave me an obligatory excuse to pay Yosuke and Amir a visit, and those two were respected members of the Al Bhed tribe. I only hoped that these strangers did not share Rikku's compulsions to prattle endlessly on every routine subject imaginable.

As I approached Room 218, I was bitterly reminded of this world's entropic spiral into decay. Long ago, in a forgotten era, this classroom had been filled to the brim with young students eager to learn more of the beautiful world around them. Those were in the days before the plates, back when Midgar was just an aspiring town like any other, with a bright cerulean sky overhead during the day and a thousand stars shining at night. I was not raised in this city, and I did not have anything resembling a normal childhood. Still, as I walked through these damp, dusky corridors, I couldn't help but feel nostalgic for a precious memory that humanity had squandered. Link's corrupt administration and the unrelenting passage of time had colluded to condemn every being, and everyone had paid the price for their transgressions. If Link was allowed to unleash his devastating Mako Gears, even this safehouse in its disgraced state would become nothing more than a pristine memory.

Room 218's wooden door seemed in substantially better shape than most the others in the building. _'Amir Badi al Zaman and Yosuke'_ was spray-painted over the entrance in bright neon-green. The first name, written in an elegant and exotic cursive, dominated the door, while the second was tucked away beneath it and added only as an afterthought. I took a moment to collect my thoughts and prepared for the inevitable discomfort of an introduction with complete strangers. I clenched my right fist and let it hover for a brief interlude next to the door...

...and promptly heard an ear-splitting _**THUD**_ emanating from the adjacent wall.

_What the hell?_ The unexpected noise had startled me, and I wondered if there was a hole or some other artifice in the wall. I suspected I was being watched. "Anyone there?" I called out, in a gruff monotone. I received no immediate answer.

_**THUD.**_ The same exact sound occurred again, just a few moments later. Were Yosuke and Amir engaging in a nasty brawl? Even then, why would either of them punch or kick their wall? If Yosuke and Amir were engaging in some kind of intense combat training, why do so in their bedroom?

There was only one way to satiate my curiosity. I pounded the door to Room 218 three times, in rapid succession, and waited for an answer.

The door creaked open a short distance, and I heard an audible gasp. I did not expect a woman's voice to greet me. "D-David! How's it going?" That bubbly, high-pitched voice was definitely Rikku's. Sure enough, the vivacious teenager burst the door open and beckoned me into her boyfriend's room. It suddenly occurred to me that I might have been interrupting something..._serious_...between them, so I quickly thought of an escape plan. The _last_ thing I needed was to get caught up in an exorbitantly awkward situation with two lovelorn minors.

"Please, come in, David! Make yourself at home!"

"...Aren't you being a little presumptuous, Rikku? This isn't your..."

"Don't be silly," a masculine voice with a strange foreign accent cut through my complaint like a sharp knife through molded bread. "If you are a friend of Rikku's, you're certainly a friend of mine."

My concerns only deepened upon noticing that Rikku was, in fact, alone in this room with a man who certainly _wasn't_ Yosuke. This man was older, perhaps in his late twenties or early thirties, with a copper skin tone that suggested an upbringing in an exotic locale. At the very least, he clearly had not lived long in the sun-deprived slums beneath Termina. His wavy, mocha hair ended just an inch or two above his shoulders, and his goatee had been styled and trimmed to near perfection. There was a certain imperial aura that floated about this man and encompassed his every movement and gesture. His attire was sophisticated and refined compared to the vast majority of denizens in the underworld. His white tunic was ruffled and contained multiple layers of fabric, and each article of his clothing possessed elegant emblems engraved throughout its texture.

His room was also decorated to a relative degree of extravagance. Two mattresses lay on each side, separated by a respectable variety of exotic rugs. There was even a small table nestled in a corner of the room, complete with two wooden chairs. There were a few vases and other objects as well, including an ornate glass hookah pipe. Compared to their fellow tribesmen, the occupants of this classroom were living like princes. Yosuke's eagerness to leave his family behind and move in next door no longer struck me as a surprising development.

"Well...I apologize if I interrupted you..." For poor Yosuke's sake, I sincerely hoped that my first impression was inaccurate.

"No need to worry, friend," said the stranger, his suave, polished voice brimming with confidence. "Rikku and I were just finishing today's lesson."

"Today's lesson?" I asked.

"Yes, David! This is my mentor, Amir! I'm pretty sure I've told you all about him! But, in case you've forgotten..." said Rikku. Well, this was _just_ what I needed. Maybe I could just zone out of consciousness for the next ten minutes or so...

"No need to lecture the old man, _mea dovae_," Amir cooed. He was undoubtedly well-educated, as I noted that he spoke at least one phrase of the language of the Ancients. The last time I heard that language was nearly a decade ago, while I listened to the philosophical ramblings of an estranged sibling. "My name is Amir Badi al Zaman, and it is my pleasure to welcome you to my humble accommodations. If you'd like some tea..."

"Old man?" I groaned.

"My apologies if I unintentionally offended your sensibilities," said Amir, barely masking his conceit under layers of cultured refinement. "I prefer blunt honesty to a point where I am often misinterpreted as condescending. You are an older man, after all, so the label seemed appropriate."

I had no idea exactly _what_ to make of this man. "You can just call me...David."

"David? A trite name, a bit too mundane...but it fits you well."

"Excuse me?" I barked.

"I'm sorry, D-David..." Rikku muttered. "Amir just likes to put on a show, sometimes. You see, it's his job. And around strangers, he..."

Amir laughed a bit and shrugged his shoulders, appearing to let his guard down. "Rikku! If you share the secrets of my craft with _everyone_ we meet, who will be left to pilfer from?"

"Oh, don't play games with David! Odessa's orders! He's our honored guest! You better not be thinking of stealing anything from him, smart guy, or I'll..."

"...Rikku, Rikku. Can't you see? Look at the man's pockets. Tell me what's inside them," Amir instructed. I sighed and felt somewhat uncomfortable with the nature of Amir's test.

Rikku's spiraled eyes gazed intently at each of my pockets, and her left hand curled against the bottom of her chin. "...I'm so s-sorry, Amir! I can tell there's a few objects in his right pants pocket, but I don't know exactly what..."

"It's not_ that_ difficult. He has two packs of cigarettes and a lighter, for starters. The lighter and an unopened pack are in his left pocket, but that's all that's in there. The right pants pocket has his opened pack, a key, and one of those temporary Al Bhed ID cards Odessa likes to issue to our honored guests," said Amir, correctly identifying the items in my possession with a minimal amount of effort. "So, there's nothing worthwhile. No wallet, no wads of gil, no jewelry, no valuables."

"I take it you're a petty thief, then? A most honorable profession," I said, barely restraining the sarcasm from oozing out of my voice.

"It wasn't my first career choice," Amir replied. "But, it's practically the only way to make a living in these disastrous times. So...I've adapted. The Al Bhed have compensated me well for my efforts."

"I'm guessing you're a real smooth operator. A real con artist. The type who sweet-talks his way into the purses of unsuspecting citizens. Is that something you can live with?" I hissed.

"Is it something I could live _without_?" asked Amir. "If I no longer stole, I would be the one dying of starvation. For that matter, if you're implying that I enjoy watching my marks suffer, you're wrong. Fortunately, most of my marks actually benefit from the experience. They learn the necessity of adequately protecting their possessions. And really, David, in this day and age, a man who would not kill or rape his victims stands among an honorable minority of criminals. You should not slander those who still know to live ethically."

"So, you think comparing yourself to murderers and rapists gives you valid justification to steal? That's some twisted logic."

"You really are clueless, aren't you? Do you think Odessa and Jax would _let_ me steal from innocent men and women? The Al Bhed tribe is trying to recruit those in need. Stealing from the innocent and the impoverished would be counterproductive to our goals. No. I steal only from those few who are wealthy enough to own materials worth taking. These days, that limits my operations to those who work for Vercetti. Maybe a leadership figure with the Necros or the Anthros. And, every once in a very long while, I'll have the opportunity to chase after visitors from Termina. Turks, government officials, military personnel."

Maybe I _was_ being a little harsh on Amir, but his earlier comments had hit a sore nerve. Calling me an 'old man' seemed to be a gross exaggeration, as I wasn't a wrinkled, gray-haired coot just yet. Given that I had been suffering from the effects of advanced aging, this was an especially sensitive topic. "I'm just trying to understand how you justify your line of work. You're the one insinuating you'd steal anything of value from my pockets."

Amir chuckled, mildly amused by my statements. "Not at all. As I said earlier, you are a friend of Rikku's. And you are an honored guest of the Al Bhed. If you're under the impression that I would take anything from you, you've misinterpreted me again. I'm only using you as a guinea pig, a subject for Rikku's training. If she's going to become Al Bhed's next master thief, she'll have to understand the basics of pickpocketing."

Rikku sighed, her melancholy gaze turning towards the floor. "I'm afraid I'll never be quite as great as you, Master Amir."

"With that kind of a rubbish mentality, _mea dovae_, it's no wonder you've failed so many missions so far. You need to believe in yourself to succeed as a thief. You have the raw talent, the charming personality, and the agility. Yet you lack the most important ingredient...self-confidence."

"So, uhh...I'm guessing Yosuke isn't around?" I asked.

"Oh, n-no, silly! My Yosuke works at Junes most mornings. If you're looking for him, you'd find him at the marketplace," Rikku exclaimed.

"Rikku and I usually fit our training in when Yosuke is working," Amir explained. "It'd be a bit scandalous for Rikku and her boyfriend to spend time together in the same bedroom...you'd be surprised how nasty the Al Bhed rumor mill can be. Though I'm sure at least _one_ of us has contributed to the weekly gossip more often than she should..."

"H-h-hey!" Rikku shouted. "That's not nice, Amir!"

Amir shrugged nonchalantly, his voice reacquiring a bit of its earlier royal pompousness. "My sincere apologies, _mea dovae_. Again, this is another dastardly manifestation of my brutally honest nature. If you only stopped yourself from spreading such rumors like an over-energetic chatterbox to every other woman in Al Bhed, I'd never make those kinds of comments again. However, so long as you insist on thrusting your tall tales of 'Amir having an affair with a Necro' and 'Amir sleeping with one of Vercetti's seven bodyguards' into the spotlight..."

"H-hey! I told you before, and I'll tell you again! That! Wasn't! _Me_!" Rikku screeched. "Seriously! I know what you think, but it isn't true! I don't spread those kinds of rumors! I don't care who or _what_ you sleep with!"

"It wasn't you? Rikku, you disappoint me. Who else would possibly have known those succulent little morsels of my personal life?" Amir said, wagging a pointer finger with mock indignation, and revealing his true indifference with a knowing smirk.

"M-maybe you should ask Yosuke! Or somebody else! But I'm not the one responsible! I absolutely, positively promise you that! And, and I just don't know how many more times I have to tell you! I'm innocent!" Rikku began hopping up and down, her fists clenched into slender balls, as if the extra expenditure of energy would help prove her point.

"You two certainly are a unique team," I said. I had a strong inclination that Amir was acting strangely. His behavior seemed contrived, almost as if he was purposely playing a role. Whatever he was _really like, _he was putting on a show and hiding his true identity. This calm, suave persona seemed predictably stereotypical for a master thief. Rikku had hinted that possibility earlier, but I wondered exactly why this man would build fraudulent walls around himself. Did he simply refuse to trust others, and construct those barriers to keep his friends from knowing his true persona? Was he trying to redeem himself from mistakes made in his past? Or, was he protecting his conscience from the crushing weight of his morally insidious career? To develop any meaningful, deep friendship with this man would require peeling away at those layers and discovering whatever secrets he was hiding.

"Yes, I dare say we're the most formidable thieves history will ever witness," said Amir, with more than a mere trace of sarcasm in his voice. "But before history will have its chance to record our tales of valor, this young girl has to learn her parkour."

"Her _parkour_?" I questioned. "What are you talking about?"

"You've never heard of parkour?" said Amir. "You're probably too old to master its intricacies. That body of yours wouldn't hold up well when put to the test."

"You'd be surprised," I responded.

"There's a difference between one's natural agility, the kind of speed and acrobatic ability one is born with, and the fine art of parkour," Amir explained. "Anyone can have raw, unprocessed talent to dodge a blow or retreat from a conflict. Parkour is more about a refined approach to every movement you make, a vigorously dissected analysis of the proper way to handle any obstacle in your path. Most men and women view tall fortifications as impassable, and narrow crevices as unbridgeable. Parkour asks its adherents to cast aside the misconceptions and view terrain not as an obstacle, but as an ally. An efficient approach to one's surroundings leads to absolute freedom. As a thief, it is absolutely necessary to hone these talents. Without them, I would have been caught and killed several times over."

Most of Amir's description flew right over my head. "...You lost me."

"Rikku, show him what you've learned today. Do a wall climb to a dyno, and grab the bar," said Amir, pointing up to a silver metallic bar attached to the side of one of the room's walls.

"That's...that's more than twelve feet off the ground," I retorted. This classroom had a high ceiling, and Amir had apparently installed the object as close to the ceiling as he could. "How would she..."

"Show him how it's done, _mea dovae_," Amir stated, keeping his eyes fixated on the wall Rikku would attempt to climb. I quickly realized that Amir had converted a decent percentage of his room into training space, complete with an open area next to this wall. Presumably, he had repeatedly attempted this very feat. There was just enough space for Rikku to build respectable speed in approaching the wall, assuming that she ran at a particular angle. Still, Rikku was at least six inches smaller than Amir in height. How could she possibly scale such an imposing challenge?

The excitable blonde was nothing if not readily persuaded, and Amir's goading had succeeded in driving her to accept this trial. She backed away into the opposite corner, not far from Yosuke's bed, and began a series of brief stretches, bending down to touch her toes and wriggling her arms in preparation. "Okay! I'm ready! Let's do this!"

"And...you're sure this is safe?" I said.

"Are you kidding?" Amir chortled, stifling a hearty laugh. "Parkour isn't 'safe.' Pickpocketing, looting, burglary...I wouldn't qualify any of those as 'safe,' either. Are you seriously going to suggest that you've never taken a risk in your entire life?"

I tilted my head slightly to one side, expressing a mixture of disdain and bemusement. "I've taken plenty of risks, but I prefer not to take them needlessly. Rikku doesn't need to prove herself to me."

"You don't give her nearly enough credit," Amir retorted. "She may be a young girl, but Rikku is every bit as agile as a cat, and she's certainly more durable than one. She has the scars and bruises to prove it. I'd say she probably has at least a dozen lives left. Do you think I'd train her if she were hopeless? She has the potential for greatness, but it will take thousands of hours of practice for her to reach that level. If she's lucky, she'll scrape by with just a few broken bones."

"I'm ready, Master Amir!" said Rikku, her voice mixed with an unparalleled mixture of enthusiasm and dread. Amir raised a single thumb to the air, and in a single burst of spontaneous energy, Rikku charged the wall. I retreated to the far corner, giving Rikku more than enough berth to test her athleticism. In two concurrent intervals, Rikku jumped off with one leg while the other foot connected with concrete, elevating her several more feet off the ground. Nonetheless, her efforts were futile, as her hand grasped but did not quite the bar above her reach, and she came crashing back to Earth, her landing cushioned by a last-second evasive maneuver that sparked that familiar sound. **_THUD._**

"No! Darn it! I couldn't!" Rikku shouted, with a wounded look in her eyes.

"You're improving, and that's all that matters," said Amir, patting Rikku on the back, an apparent supportive gesture. "Here. Let me show you what you did wrong." I folded my arms and waited patiently through the proceedings, resisting that habitual urge to light a cigarette.

"First, Rikku," Amir instructed, using his own legs as props throughout his demonstration, "You used the right foot to pivot this time, but you strained too much. You placed your pivot foot too high, right about here...which is well above your knees. That kind of a position prevents you from getting the leverage you need to retain traction and power through the move. Secondly, you want only the ball of your foot to receive the contact, and nothing more. You need to be sure to jump off with your dominant leg the exact moment before you pivot. This last time, you were a little off with your timing."

"It's just really tough!" Rikku moaned. "I've scaled an eleven foot wall with a wall run just once before. You can't expect me to handle twelve..."

"Have faith, _mea dovae_. It will come to you in time," said Amir. "We'll practice more in two days, and you'll continue to improve. Next up will be cat leaps. You'll need to learn to stop using your hands to absorb most the impact from those jumps."

"All right," Rikku responded. "I guess that means practice is over?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so," Amir noted. "I have to get going. I have an...appointment...at around one today, and I'd prefer not to be late. Of course, since I'll be away, I'll need you both to leave as well. David. It was a pleasure to meet you. On occasion, you can watch Rikku and I train here again. We're even sent out on weekly pickpocketing missions for our tribe. You're welcome to join us and witness masters at the craft."

Amir took a slight bow, then proceeded to rummage through a trove of items next to his bed. He lifted a one-handed scimitar, a curved blade that appeared rusted and dull. The second weapon he took with him seemed a stark contrast to the first. The dagger was a small blade, but it seemed to glow a majestic cerulean hue. Whereas the scimitar was a weapon of common and uninspired design, this dagger seemed impeccable and _eternal_ in its quality.

"You're taking weapons with you?" I inquired. "To an appointment?"

Amir chuckled. "You never know when you may be faced with your own death. When death comes for me, I'll be prepared to fight back."

Amir motioned for Rikku and I to leave Room 218, and once we had exited into the hallway, he emerged and locked the door behind him. "Farewell, friends. David, be sure to keep _mea dovae_ out of trouble."

"Easier said than done."

"Hey! I'll be just _fine_, thank you very much!"

I felt slightly dissatisfied with my first meeting with Amir. I thought he was withholding important information. Clearly, his 'appointment' really wasn't a traditional meeting amongst friends. Nothing about Amir seemed to add up. Where was he from? Who was he, really? How and why did he become a mere thief for the Al Bhed? Some of the possessions in his room were worth thousands upon thousands of gil. How could he afford such an affluent lifestyle in the underworld? Was he doing work on the side for Vercetti? Or did he have any connections with Link or other high-ranking officials in Termina? The more I thought about all of Amir's incongruities, the less likely it seemed I could trust him. If Amir was really a mole, though...wasn't he acting a bit _too _obvious? A spy for an opposing faction wouldn't just march into Al Bhed's safehouse with all those riches and expect not to be noticed. Furthermore, despite all of Rikku's minor annoyances, she was a good kid at heart. She was not the type to easily trust enemies.

"David! Are you talking to your friends again?" Rikku said, wagging a finger in mock disappointment. "You shouldn't keep ignoring fine ladies like myself! No sir!"

"No, actually, I haven't used my nanotechnology lately," I replied. "I'm just...thinking things over. A lot has happened already, and we're only barely past midday."

"Hey, I'm free for a while!" Rikku exclaimed, that familiar perky energy boiling through her veins again. "What a surprise! Usually, on training days, I'll have to spend most my time with Amir. Now, I can go visit Yosuke in the marketplace! Oh! _Every day's great at your Junes_!"

"...Are you...singing?"

"Oh, uhh...yeah, umm...it's the the old theme song! For Yosuke's store! _Every day's great at_..."

"The world should be thankful you've decided not to pursue a career as a musician."

"D-David! That's just not nice! I have a _beautiful_ voice! Like an angel from heaven! That's what Yosuke says!"

"How would Amir respond? I'd imagine he'd say something like, 'I'm sorry for offending you with my brutal honesty, but it would be far more impolite for me to lie, _mea dovae_?' That's the answer I'll plead."

"D-D-DAVID!" Rikku barked. "Now you're just being a big, fat, obnoxious meanie!"

"At least I'm not the one calling you his _dove_. That's not the slightest bit creepy," I muttered under my breath.

"Why is your mind always in the gutter, David? Even Amir appreciates my beauty, but that's all! It's just a generic term for endearment, nothing more. Do you always have to assume the worst in everyone?"

The answer to Rikku's question was _yes, _of course, but I saw no reason to engage her in an argument. "Sorry. I guess I'm going to have to decide exactly what to do next..."

"I can come with you!" Rikku squealed, practically jumping into my arms. "Come on! It'll be fun! We can go on another adventure!"

I'd almost rather fight Liquid, Mantis, Wolf, Raven, and Ocelot all at once in a Shadow Moses grudge match than deal with this exasperating girl for another moment. Still, if I was going to pursue any leads regarding the Anthros, she'd be much more likely to know where to start and who to ask. Knowing Rikku, though, she'd find some ridiculous way to inadvertently sabotage my efforts. Nonetheless, there was safety in numbers, and it didn't seem like anyone else in Al Bhed was going to agree to undertake a journey with me. There were only three days left until Canderous and I would embark on Operation Philanthropy's first true _operation_, and the more information I acquired beforehand, the better chance we'd have of success. With that in mind, I needed to make a strategic decision as to where and how to waste the rest of my day.

**STATUS:**

**Weapons: **Beretta M9 tranquilizer pistol, six chaff grenades, and six stun grenades.

**Social Links: **  
><strong>**

_Level One: **  
><strong>_Rikku, Canderous Ordo

_**Support Links: **__Phoenix Wright, Hal Emmerich._

**DECISION:**

_How should Snake spend the remainder of his day?_

**A:** Go to the marketplace _with _Rikku.  
><strong>B:<strong> Go to the marketplace _without _Rikku.  
><strong>C:<strong> Go to Seventh Heaven _with _Rikku.  
><strong>D:<strong> Go to Seventh Heaven _without _Rikku.  
><strong>E:<strong> Ask Rikku for directions to the Anthros' park; travel to the park _with _Rikku.  
><strong>F:<strong> Ask Rikku for directions to the Anthros' park; investigate the area _without _Rikku.  
><strong>G:<strong> Attempt to speak with Odessa in Room 101.  
><strong>H:<strong> Ask Rikku where to find Jax Briggs, and attempt to speak with him.  
><strong>J:<strong> Attempt to gain access to Vercetti's headquarters _with _Rikku.  
><strong>K:<strong> Attempt to gain access to Vercetti's headquarters _without _Rikku.


End file.
